Many Indians who sit on the fence on the nuclear deal feel that the communists are merely being unwise and not collaborative of China’s attempt to outstrip India. But consider these facts. China’s nuclear deal with Pakistan was signed the year Rajiv Gandhi went to shake Deng Hsiao Ping’s hand in Beijing. China’s thermo-nuclear test was conducted during President Venkataraman’s visit to Beijing, and Pakistan’s only missile factory was shipped to Fatehjang, west of Rawalpindi during Jiang Zemin’s visit to Delhi. While India was extracting China’s acknowledgement of sovereignty over Sikkim, George Tenet the head of the CIA was testifying to the US Congress about China breaking presidential assurances given to Clinton about not arming Pakistan. Pakistan’s Chinese origin two stage missile to target South India was fired the month the UPA came to power in Delhi, and its Chinese assisted long range — nuclear capable cruise missile was tested in 2005, the year Wen Jiabao visited India. Many analysts have encouraged India to take a tougher stand with Beijing, but with a looming, powerful neighbour sitting in Tibet, threatening Arunachal, able to veto India’s entry into the security council, working to block India in ASEAN the ARF and other international bodies, able to finance every opposition outside India and outbid India for every nearby oil and gas field, the Indian foreign office has no such luxury, but to abide its time, gather strength, acquire technology and make friends in powerful places — all of which are being thwarted by the left.

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