NEW DELHI, June 24: The United States seems to be sending out strong signals to India on the nuclear-strategic front, even talking about a change in its tough nuclear non-proliferation legislation if New Delhi agrees to abide by certain public postures - such as not conducting nuclear tests.For the first time since India refused to sign, and attempted to block the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the autumn of 1996, Washington seems to be willing to ``do a deal'' with New Delhi on a wide range of nuclear-strategic issues.US nuclear analysts acknowledge that India has played ``hardball'' by not only seeking to block the CTBT, but by refusing to relinquish its nuclear option and being publicly critical of the indefinite extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It now seems as if Washington wants to bring back the nuclear issue on top of the bilateral agenda, and is talking in terms of a ``strategic understanding'' with New Delhi if India agrees to formalise its nuclear restraint.The strongest such message, though ambiguously worded, was given at a conference in early May at the University of Pennsylvania.So far, however, ministry officials here have not reacted to the message, only saying that they would prefer Washington to formalise such an ``offer'' if it exists at all. In fact, they felt, the signals were actually ``mixed'' in nature : while Washington claimed it was interested in doing a ``strategic deal'' with New Delhi, it continued to publicly rebuke India for not signing the CTBT.Washington's bottom line seems to be that India should not explode any nuclear tests, the rest is food for argument.Indian officials, on the other hand, point out that if the US were really keen on such a dialogue, it would not only make the ``offer'' official but also refrain from asking India to sign the CTBT.
