What the World is Reading

Time/Nuclear Brinkmanship

The article notes the political gamble that the Indian Prime Minister has willed himself to play, betting his political future against the controversial civilian nuclear deal with the United States. Singh and his party members have to convince voters as well as lawmakers that the country has not turned into an US pawn, and why it was necessary to put so much emphasis on foreign policy when the country is battling economic slowdown and high inflation.

Washington Post/An Uncertain deal with India

Jayshree Bajoria says with time of the essence, the IAEA8217;s 8220;approval, required before the deal can move forward, is only the first of many challenges8221;. The 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group, also needs to approve the deal. Experts see an irony here, because the NSG was created in 1974 following India8217;s first nuclear test to prevent further nuclear arms proliferation. The writer says that while some experts tout the deal as a boon to U.S. civilian nuclear business, others say the deal holds little advantage for the United States beyond symbolism. Leonard S. Spector, a nonproliferation expert at the Monterey Institute of International Studies argues that Russian and French firms are better positioned to reap the benefits of opening up nuclear sales to India.

The Dawn/Pakistan

In a critical editorial written in 2005, The Dawn had noted that as the only superpower with vital stakes in South Asia, the US should restrain rather than encourage a nuclear arms race in the region. Its recent reports cite the 8220;expert8217; opinion of an US scholar that the US-India nuclear deal is all but impossible, as hard negotiations await India at the IAEA as well as NSG.

Canberra Times/ Australia/India is hungry for our uranium

The opinion piece makes a case for Rudd8217;s government to support India8217;s induction into the global civil nuclear regime, as an India left out of it is less likely to support the current treaty regime and its objectives. The article argues that it is also important to address India8217;s concerns as to why Australia refuses to sell her uranium, while providing it to China, which has a dubious reputation on horizontal proliferation.

Blogs/U.S. Diplomacy

The post on the three-year old nuclear deal covers familiar ground, outlining the business opportunities inherent for the US, as well as the skepticism as to whether such preferential treatment will actually halt India8217;s nuclear ambitions or perhaps, lead to a nuclear arms race in the region. It also speculates as to whether, in case of a delay, the incoming Presidential administration in the US will share President Bush8217;s enthusiasm, or whether it will throw a few extra obstacles on India8217;s way.