India's anti-Iran vote: America is happy

Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continues to strenuously fob-off Opposition charges that India's vote against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting was a quid pro quo for the nuclear deal he signed with President George Bush on July 18, a senior American official has provided ample indication that the UPA Government's decision to let down a long-standing ally was meant to please the US.

According to news agency reports, US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, who arrives in New Delhi on Thursday, has said that with "India voting in favor of the IAEA resolution on Iran's nuclear program, Congressional opposition to the Indo-US nuclear agreement has disappeared".

This can be interpreted to mean that India voted the way it did in Vienna on September 24 to mollify members of the US Congress who had openly questioned New Delhi's refusal to go along with Washington's position on Tehran's nuclear program.

Congressman Tom Lantos, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, during a hearing on the US-India nuclear cooperation agreement signed on July 18, was particularly vicious, ridiculing External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh as "dense" and warning that if India does not synchronize its Iran policy with that of the US, the deal would "go down the tubes."

Mr Lantos' "concern (about) the insensitive thinking that I see coming out of New Delhi" underwent a seachange after the Vienna vote. Exulting over India's surprise vote against Iran, he said in a statement: ""I am pleased that New Delhi clearly heard the message that I and other members have been emphatically trying to convey... India's support (on September 24) and next November, when Iran should finally be referred to the UN Security Council for action, will go a long way to cementing our new partnership."

India's vote against Iran has raised a political storm in India. Not only has the BJP questioned the wisdom of backing the EU3 resolution, the Left has denounced the vote. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, in a signed article published in the party organ, People's Democracy, has torn into Mr Manmohan Singh, scathingly attacking him for succumbing to American pressure. Even within the UPA, many partners have unequivocally expressed their displeasure.

Mr Burns cannot be unaware of the dissenting view in India. Yet, he has chosen to publicly state that India's vote will be useful in ironing out objections to the July 18 deal in the US Congress. This is likely to be seen as yet another example of "American arrogance".

In a eve-of-visit lecture at Asia Society, Mr Burns said, "By the time President Bush visits India early winter 2006, you will see both meet our commitments and then the President and Prime Minister will be in a position to put this agreement into effect."

"My trip to New Delhi," Mr Burns said, "Is to focus on agreement on a timetable that will lead to decisions in the United States Congress to change our law and ultimate decision of the Indian Government to meet their commitments."

Two of the commitments made by Mr Manmohan Singh and which have been met with severe criticism in India are to separate civilian and military nuclear reactors, and to place the former under IAEA supervision.

During his visit, bilateral official consultations (Asian Security Dialogue) will be held on October 21-22. The Indian side will be led by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran. The working group which has been constituted to follow up on the July 18 agreement will also meet.