China’s objective appears to be simple. If Pakistan does not get the right for civilian nuclear cooperation, India should also be denied that opportunity.

Indian backlash

New Delhi, however, is not impressed with China’s arguments. India’s foreign policy mandarins smirk at China’s new “principled concern” for the global non-proliferation regime. After all, China has for long been one of the main proliferators of nuclear and missile technology.

China might bet that it has nothing to lose from this campaign, so long as the Europeans and other “white knights” like New Zealand dance on its behalf in the NSG. For New Delhi, continued Chinese opposition to the Indo-US deal would only confirm the thesis that Beijing is determined to perpetuate “nuclear parity” between India and Pakistan.

If China prevents India’s access to civilian nuclear cooperation after having transferred nuclear weapons and missile technology to Pakistan, it would invite a strong popular backlash from India.

New Delhi is too proud to plead with Beijing to end its covert and overt opposition to the nuclear deal. India, however, hopes that China understands the consequences of preventing India from taking its rightful place in the global nuclear order and will not come in the way.

A role for CPM?

If there is one force that could help prevent a needless crisis in Sino-Indian relations, it is the CPM. During her tenure as PM, Indira Gandhi was very adept at using the CPI to send messages to the Kremlin. Would the UPA government consider a similar strategy with the CPM?

... contd.