THERE IS NOTHING, SAID VICTOR HUGO, AS POWERFUL AS AN IDEA WHOSE TIMES HAS COME. IT ISN'T ALWAYS EASY TO INTERPRET WHAT EXACTLY
US PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH MEANS WHEN HE SPEAKS. BUSHISM HAS BEEN GENERATING CHUKLES AROUND THE WORLD AND FLYING THROUGH THE WEB FOR YEARS. HE PREPARES TO VISIT INDIA WITH A LOW EXPECTATION ON THE NUCLEAR AGREEMENT. THE BIG BARRIER IN THE WAY OF NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS A PROMISED DEAL IN CO-OPERATION OVER THE PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY. IT WAS PROMISED BY BUSH LAST JULY IN WASHINGTON IN AN AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH VISITING INDIAN PM MANMOHAN SINGH. THE US CONGRESS AND EUROPE UNION APPEARED FAR FROM READY TO ENDORSE AND CRITICISED IT LIKE STERN PARENTS, SAYING IT WOULD BE REWARDING BAD BOY INDIA. BUT THAT IS WHERE THE ARGUMENT, PATRONISING TO START WITH, RUNS INTO AN ICEBERG OF REALITY. WHETHER ANYONE LIKES IT OR NOT, INDIA IS A NUCLEAR WEAPON POWER, A STATUS THAT WILL NOT BE ROLLED BACK. INDIA CANNOT DE-EXPLODE THE BOMB, NOR THE NUCLEAR BOMB BE DISINVENTED. LAST JULY'S AGREEMENT OFFERED INDIA€CESS TO US CIVILIAN NUCLEAR ASSISTANCE ON CONDITION THAT INDIA WOULD TIGHTEN PROLIFERATION CONTROLS WHICH IS NOT A PROBLEM ABROAD, SINCE INDIA HAS NOT PROLIFERATED NUCLEAR WEAPONS KNOW HOW TO OTHER NATIONS UNLIKE, PAKISTAN, WOULD SEPARATE ITS CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PLANTS FROM ITS MILITARY ONE IN ORDER TO OPEN THE FORMER TO RIGOROUS INSPECTION WHILE KEEPING THE LATTER UNDER TIGHT SECURITY.THE DEMAND FOR SEPARATION OF CIVIL AND DEFENCE NUCLEAR PLANTS IS UNACCEPTABLE BY MANY IN INDIA. HERE BUSH RELALISES HE IS HELPING NEGOTIATE NEXT STEPS IN AN EVOLVING STRAGETIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE WORLD’S TWO LARGEST DEMOCRACIES. BOTH SIDES HAVE TO DEBATE AND BUILD AN AGREEMENT INTERNALLY ON THIS ISSUE. THE UNITED STATES SOUGHT A “STRAGETIC PARTNER” WHEN IT OPENED TIES WITH CHINA 30 YEARS AGO, BUT TODAY THE PENTAGON CENTRES DEFENCE PLANNING ON THE POSSIBILITY BEJING MAY BECOME A MILITARY ADVERSARY AND SEES INDIA A HEDGE AGAINST CHINA. WHILE THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS IN THE RELATIONSHIP, MANY OBSERVERS DISCOUNT THE NOTION OF INDIA BECOMING A RIVAL OF UNITED STATES IN THE WAY BUSH ADMINISTRATION VIEWS CHINA. OTHERS SAY INDIA DOES NOT SHARE CHINA’S ASPIRATIONS TO SUPPLANT THE UNITED STATES AS THE PRE-EMINENT ASIAN POWER, REDUCING POSSIBLE TENSIONS OVER HUMAN RIGHTS AND WEAPONS PROLIFERATION. CHINA’S RECORD IN BOTH INSTANCES HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT CONCERN FOR THE UNITED STATES. A FEW IN UNITED STATES DOUBTS INDIA WOULD BE WILLING TO PLAY COUNTER WEIGHT TO CHINA OR SIDE WITH THE UNITED STATES IN THE EVENT OF CONFLICT WITH BEJING OVER TAIWAN. IN ADDITON INDIA HAS LONG OUT STANDING TIES WITH RUSSIA AND IMPROVING TIES WITH CHINA, RAISING THE PROSPECT IT COULD PLAY ONE OR ANOTHER POWER OFF AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. HOW EVER THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF BUSH’S FIRST TRIP TO INDIA DID NOT HINGE ON SEWING UP THE NUCLEAR DEAL. THERE IS A LONG LIST OF AREAS INVOLVING BILATERAL COOPERATION THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED DURING THE TRIP WHICH WILL DEMONSTARTE THE BREADTH AND INTENSITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO DEMOCRACIES.