ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

US cap on science tie-ups can't shake India's CTBT resolve

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

US Energy Secretary Federico Pena's directive to stop all scientific links with India was designed to bring New Delhi down to its knees and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, senior government officials said in New Delhi on Saturday.

"Such logic is misplaced and won't work," an official said.

On Friday, senior Bharatiya Janata Party minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi assured Parliament that Indian scientists affected by the US cap would get opportunities to continue their pursuit of excellence in India.

Conceding that the cap has caused some concern in government circles, the officials said the overall impact was still being assessed. They declined to elaborate on India's future strategy, but admitted that Indian scientists might seek other technological pastures outside India and the US.

The officials added that countries like Russia are keen to help India in various spheres including science and technology.

They said the Clinton administration was engaged in persuading its allies, especially the United Kingdom, to take a similar hardline towards India. Washington's entire exercise, they said, was designed to make India fall in line on the CTBT issue.

In New Delhi, Opposition leaders criticised the Union government for being ''secretive'' about the nuclear programme and for trying to "hog the limelight". The US too came in for criticism for its bullying tactics.

Communist Party of India MP Gurudas Dasgupta pointed out that Washington would made a mockery of its laws if it carries out its threat of asking US-based Indian scientists to leave. He held the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government responsible for deteriorating Indo-US relations.

A Congress general secretary said Indian scientists' research would be affected if Washington does carry out its threat. He said that indigenisation, though desirable, is a time-consuming process and could delay India's vital projects in nuclear and missile fields.

Tell us what you think of this report