To CTBT via Lisbon

India took a major step forward on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty at the first-ever India-European Union summit. It was the most import...

India took a major step forward on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty at the first-ever India-European Union summit. It was the most important outcome of an event otherwise marked by hard bargaining on bringing down trade barriers and Indian hard-sell on investment opportunities in the infrastructure sector. The India-EU summit, intended to strengthen the political relationship and enlarge trade and investment prospects, effectively begins a new chapter in the relationship between the world’s largest trading block and the world’s largest democracy. Both sides have made efforts to put behind them the differences and misunderstandings of the period immediately after India’s nuclear tests in Pokharan in 1998. At the time, European states were very much in the forefront of international condemnation of the tests and calls for India and Pakistan to step back from the brink of nuclear confrontation. Today, the tone of EU statements on non-proliferation is no longer hectoring but measured and encouraging of theVajpayee government’s efforts to move towards signing the CTBT.

Several things have brought about the sea-change. Apart from the prolonged Jaswant Singh-Strobe Talbott talks, separate dialogues on nuclear issues have been conducted with the EU and some of its member states during which India’s entirely defensive posture has been emphasised. India’s voluntary and unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, which gets appreciative mention in the Lisbon declaration, has been a major factor in overcoming European qualms. More importantly, the prime minister and external minister have indicated several times the government is favourably inclined towards the CTBT. When Atal Behari Vajpayee said during his address to the United Nations General Assembly that India would not stand in the way of the CTBT coming into force it was widely interpreted as a commitment to sign. Jaswant Singh has also said that a political consensus was necessary and was being pursued. It may be that the government has not worked hard enough to build political support for the treaty. But there wereextenuating circumstances such as the infructuous US stance with the White House in favour and Congress against; and there was also domestic preoccupation with the economy.

Now the prime minister has said categorically at a joint Press conference with the Portuguese prime minister in Lisbon that the CTBT will be discussed during the next session of Parliament. It is good the government has made up its mind at last to hold a political debate. It will provide a long delayed opportunity for the government to clarify its own position and explain why signing the treaty is in India’s interest. If, as is apparent, India has much to gain and little to lose, delaying accession to the treaty makes no sense. Once the contention over the CTBT is got out of the way, there will be quick progress on matters of vital importance to India. One is access to advanced technology, including advanced military surveillance systems. Another is a permanent seat at the Security Council. Indian prime ministers will not have to make strong pleas for support as Vajpayee did in Lisbon only to receive a lukewarm response.