Study points to India-Iran N-ties

NEW YORK: A damaging new report released by the Congressional Research Service ahead of a Senate vote on the Indian nuclear deal played up India’s close links with US adversary Iran and called for tighter safeguards. 

The report contained just the sort of negative publicity Indian nuclear lobbyists were dreading in the run-up to the Senate vote. Some lobbyists said the Senate may take up the pending legislation by the end of this week. The Congressional report authored by national defence specialist, Sharon A Squassoni, opens up a Pandora’s Box by suggesting that the Bush administration has not formally responded to charges that India has a “flawed” nuclear non-proliferation record. 

“India’s non-proliferation record continues to be scrutinised, as India continues to take steps to strengthen its own export controls,” the report said, while alleging that India and Iran engaged in “very limited” nuclear and chemical-related transfers over the years.

The report tried to back this up by pointing out that the US imposed sanctions on four Indian companies between 2005 and 2006 for chemical and biological-related transfers to Iran. It also noted that in 2004, the US imposed sanctions on two Indian scientists for nuclear-related transfers to Iran.  

The report raised a red-herring about whether India had a strict enough export control regulations system in place to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It said India had “a procurement system that may unwittingly transfer sensitive information” about uranium enrichment to the wrong hands.

“President Bush has tried to sell this nuclear deal by claiming that India is our natural ally, but as Ronald Reagan once said, ‘Trust, but verify.’ It is clear that on the issue of preventing Iran from going nuclear, and on the crucial issue of nonproliferation, India’s record is not encouraging,” said Democrat leader Edward Markey, who has opposed the Indian nuclear deal from get-go.

At least 18 powerful arms control advocates have also been urging lawmakers, especially Democrats, to amend the bill. “US legislators should not perceive this agreement as a fait accompli and they still have a chance to address the deal's more egregious flaws,” said Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association, a leading critic of the agreement.

Despite the bitter debate over the nuclear deal there is wide bipartisan support for the nuclear deal. Indian lobbyists claim that the nuclear deal will sail through the Senate once it is actually put to vote.

Lobbyists for the deal have been in overdrive since last week’s elections. The Coalition for Partnership with India is organising a power-lunch on Wednesday to lobby lawmakers. Democrat Senator John Kerry, former US secretary of defence William S Cohen and Indian embassy officials are expected to participate in the event.