Loads of smoke, Little fire

“As further clarified in the section-by-section analysis included in this report, the conferees believe that there should be no ambiguity regarding the legal and policy consequences of any future Indian test of a nuclear explosive device. In that event, the president must terminate all export and re-export of US-origin nuclear materials, nuclear equipment, and sensitive nuclear technology to India. The conferees expect the president to make full and immediate use of US rights to demand the return of all nuclear-related items, materials, and sensitive nuclear technology that have been exported or re-exported to India if India were to test or detonate, or otherwise cause the test or detonation of, a nuclear explosive device for any reason, including such instances in which India describes its actions as being ‘for peaceful purpose.’

This statement in the Act will trouble almost anybody who reads it and rightly so. It seems like an all out attack on India's sovereignty. But what we fail to consider is the fact that even President Bush has gone on to state that most of the parts of the act are like suggestions more than rules. The sections that India is most worried about, may not be binding on us. But then there is the all to obvious question, but who is to stop any future President from stopping trade with our country if we test a Nuclear bomb? Well my answer is based on an assumption, but i feel that it is a fairly safe one. Once nuclear co operation starts between the two countries, we can expect many American companies working on nuclear energy to invest here. Any sanctions against India will them. But why just nuclear energy? Considering the pace at which India is growing, lots of American MNCs are gonna increase their investments in India. And in my opinion the powerful lobbies that these businesses control in Washington should stop the US from imposing sanctions. And on top of that all, we are emerging as the one of the most powerful countries in the world, to consider that we wont have any bargaining power with the US is childish in its extreme.