The BJP-led government's foreign policy stands at too important a crossroad to allow it to be distracted by the understandable hype that surrounds any prime ministerial visit abroad. In this context, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's clarification that India and the United States as of now are only potential and not quite "natural allies" is to be welcomed. The nuclear tests of May 11 and 13 were a defining moment for Indian foreign policy and the Vajpayee Government seems to have understood that well. It has been broadly successful in engaging the world's principal power, the US, in an intense dialogue. After initial fumbles, it is now resuming direct talks with India's major vicinal adversary, Pakistan. While it is too early to comment on how Delhi's discussions with Islamabad will go, there is a natural curiosity about where the Jaswant Singh-Strobe Talbott talks are headed. Judging by the prime minister's remarks in recent days, India is still some distance from signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Almost simultaneously, the US position was baldly stated by Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth: signing the CTBT is only one of several steps India would have to take before the economic sanctions are lifted.US officials, including Inderfurth, have now started talking about putting in place a "nuclear restraint regime". This sounds suspiciously like trying to obtain regional non-proliferation solutions for what India has always seen as a global issue. Secrecy was necessary for the Singh-Talbott talks to gain momentum. But after five rounds of discussions no one has a clear idea as to what they are all about. Are they dealing with the larger Indo-US relationship or merely the Pokhran fallout? .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Are India's nuclear and missile plans up for negotiation or only the issues of CTBT and economic and technology sanctions? Perhaps it is time for the Government to be more forthcoming about the talks. India should know what it is letting itself in for.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 12, 1998--- ENDS ---
