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US likely to lift sanctions against India

The incoming Bush administration has given enough indications that it might review and lift the post-Pokhran sanctions imposed against India.

Addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing Wednesday, US Secretary of State-designate Colin Powell said he would see whether it is time to move forward to remove all the remaining sanctions against India and consult his colleagues on the issue.

Describing India as a country that would emerge as the most powerful and populous, he said "We should engage more broadly with India, do what we can to restrain their nuclear programme and also help them with economic development."

Powell, the first black American to be nominated secretary of state, said the Bush administration should deal more wisely with India keeping in view its vast potential in the India Ocean and its periphery.

"India is a country that should grow more and more focussed in the lens of our foreign policy. We need to work harder and more consistently with India ... while not neglecting out friends in Pakistan," he said.

Regretting the trigger-happy attitude of Congress members where sanctions were concerned, he said there were too many sanctions against too many countries and pledged to review all of them.

Every sanction must have a "sunset clause" at the end of which it should automatically cease to be in force or be renewed, he said.

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