Dangerous parity

At a time when India is trying to deepen its partnership with China and rebuild trust with Pakistan,it would seem counterproductive for Delhi to raise objections to Beijings sale of two power reactors to Islamabad. After all,as Beijing says these reactors are meant to produce electric power,so badly needed in an energy-starved Pakistan,and will be under international supervision. Yet,we believe Delhi is right in expressing its concerns to Beijing. That it was done quietly through diplomatic channels underlines the seriousness of Indian purpose as well as its good faith in wanting to build a partnership with China on the basis of an honest discussion of divergence when it arises.

The Chinese decision to expand its previous nuclear cooperation with Pakistan,in violation of the guidelines of the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group,raises three important issues for Delhi. First,although the proposed cooperation is ostensibly for peaceful purposes,India has reasons to be wary given the past record of clandestine military nuclear cooperation between China and Pakistan. India would want to be sure that China is not furthering its collaboration with Pakistans nuclear weapons programme under the guise of civilian cooperation. Second,those who compare the Sino-Pak deal with the India-US civil nuclear initiative miss an important difference. India and the US had to go through a tortuous process of revising the NSG rules and the US domestic law; China is now offering a similar benefit to Pakistan without any due process or international debate on the merits of nuclear cooperation with Pakistan,whose record as a proliferator is so disturbing. Finally,if the deal is motivated by Beijings strategic consideration to maintain nuclear parity between India and Pakistan at all levels,Delhi is duty bound to contest this hostile proposition in Beijing.

In the last few years India has sought to build a relationship with China without a reference to Pakistan. Beijing should not take that positive Indian approach as a license to do what it pleases with Islamabad. Beijings unwillingness to respect Delhis security concerns will severely limit Indias domestic political space to expand mutually beneficial engagement with China. Beijing often complains about the widespread and what it sees as an unreasonable perception of a China threat in Delhi. Beijing should recognise that its proposed nuclear deal with Pakistan without an explicit approval of the NSG cannot but reinforce its image as as an irresponsible power. When combined with the potentially inescapable conclusion in Delhi that Beijing will remain forever insensitive to Indias security concerns in Pakistan,the theory of a China threat can only gain ground in India and undermine the promising possibilities of a Sino-Indian partnership.