Letters to the Editor - The Hindu
September 15, 2008
The USA's volte-face regarding fuel supply assurances has clearly betrayed the fact that the Americans did not negotiate the 123 agreement with benevolent intentions towards India. Now that we have obtained a waiver from the NSG enabling us to do nuclear trade with France and Russia, the government must display the resolve to play hard-ball with the USA. The government must at once release a white paper detailing its interpretations of the provisions of the 123 text regarding fuel supply and re-processing rights. The USA must be asked to make its interpretations known. If the Bush administration decides not to honour its commitments by hiding behind the US Congress and the Hyde act, then we must convey to the Americans in clear and unambiguous terms that under the present conditions we cannot buy even a single reactor from them.
It is high time we refused to be led up the garden path by the Americans.
Monday, 15 September 2008
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Goodbye To Nuclear Export Controls
Letters to the Editor - The Hindu
September 9, 2008
This is with regard to the editorial titled 'Goodbye To Nuclear Export Controls' on 9/9/08. Mr.William C.Potter bemoans the inability of the non-proliferation 'stalwarts' to resist pressure from the four nuclear weapon states to support the India specific waiver sans any strict conditions. What is disheartening is not the triumph of economic considerations and power politics over nuclear arms control, it is the double standards and the hypocrisy exhibited by the so-called non-proliferation white-knights. Why do these nations display a collective amnesia about an article in the NPT that asks countries to work for universal disarmament? Why didn't these non-proliferation 'stalwarts' call for universal disarmament in the 1995 NPT review conference even after the cold war had ended? Why did they not condemn China's proliferation of nuclear technology to Pakistan? The non-proliferation 'stalwarts' did not have any moral authority to oppose India as they failed to act in any of the above mentioned situations.
September 9, 2008
This is with regard to the editorial titled 'Goodbye To Nuclear Export Controls' on 9/9/08. Mr.William C.Potter bemoans the inability of the non-proliferation 'stalwarts' to resist pressure from the four nuclear weapon states to support the India specific waiver sans any strict conditions. What is disheartening is not the triumph of economic considerations and power politics over nuclear arms control, it is the double standards and the hypocrisy exhibited by the so-called non-proliferation white-knights. Why do these nations display a collective amnesia about an article in the NPT that asks countries to work for universal disarmament? Why didn't these non-proliferation 'stalwarts' call for universal disarmament in the 1995 NPT review conference even after the cold war had ended? Why did they not condemn China's proliferation of nuclear technology to Pakistan? The non-proliferation 'stalwarts' did not have any moral authority to oppose India as they failed to act in any of the above mentioned situations.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Lunar Eclipse
Letters to the Editor - Dawn
October 29, 2007
This is with reference to the editorial in your newspaper titled 'Lunar Eclipse' on 29/10/07. The editorial has not considered the Indian space program from the Indian perspective.
Our space program is unique compared to that of other space faring nations in the sense that its sole purpose since its inception was to help a vast and diverse country to use space technologies to tap the nations resources, provide communication facilities throughout the country and help in weather forecasting so as to benefit the common man. To understand this one must realize that India started its space program in 1962, amidst severe criticism, as the nation was struggling to even feed its people. Hence throughout its history, the nation's space program was tailored to meet the needs of the country. It was not seen as a means to boost national prestige unlike many other countries.
Considering the above, a question arises as to whether India has succeeded
in its goals in space. The answer is an emphatic yes. India today has the largest network of weather forecasting and communication satellites in the Asia-Pacific region namely the 'INSAT'. India stands first in the world in remote sensing with its 'IRS' series of satellites. Over the past 10 years we have been selling satellite photographs to many other countries. The 'CARTOSAT' and 'RESOURCESAT' series along with 'EDUSAT', the world's only satellite dedicated entirely for education, have brought enormous benefits to an impoverished nation. India's space program has gone a step further to build & launch satellites for other countries at extremely cheap rates. The PSLV rocket, designed and built entirely in India, has proved its worth and robustness by placing the Italian 'Agile' satellite in an orbit considered very difficult to achieve.
The Indian space program is proceeding in its own path and at its own pace. Its immediate priorities are to achieve the ability to build, launch and operate satellites of any weight and to build powerful launch vehicles for this purpose. India aims to capture atleast 30% of the satellite services market by 2020, a market estimated at $20 billion
October 29, 2007
This is with reference to the editorial in your newspaper titled 'Lunar Eclipse' on 29/10/07. The editorial has not considered the Indian space program from the Indian perspective.
Our space program is unique compared to that of other space faring nations in the sense that its sole purpose since its inception was to help a vast and diverse country to use space technologies to tap the nations resources, provide communication facilities throughout the country and help in weather forecasting so as to benefit the common man. To understand this one must realize that India started its space program in 1962, amidst severe criticism, as the nation was struggling to even feed its people. Hence throughout its history, the nation's space program was tailored to meet the needs of the country. It was not seen as a means to boost national prestige unlike many other countries.
Considering the above, a question arises as to whether India has succeeded
in its goals in space. The answer is an emphatic yes. India today has the largest network of weather forecasting and communication satellites in the Asia-Pacific region namely the 'INSAT'. India stands first in the world in remote sensing with its 'IRS' series of satellites. Over the past 10 years we have been selling satellite photographs to many other countries. The 'CARTOSAT' and 'RESOURCESAT' series along with 'EDUSAT', the world's only satellite dedicated entirely for education, have brought enormous benefits to an impoverished nation. India's space program has gone a step further to build & launch satellites for other countries at extremely cheap rates. The PSLV rocket, designed and built entirely in India, has proved its worth and robustness by placing the Italian 'Agile' satellite in an orbit considered very difficult to achieve.
The Indian space program is proceeding in its own path and at its own pace. Its immediate priorities are to achieve the ability to build, launch and operate satellites of any weight and to build powerful launch vehicles for this purpose. India aims to capture atleast 30% of the satellite services market by 2020, a market estimated at $20 billion
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Betrayal of India's Constitutional Vision
Letters to the Editor - The Hindu
July 17, 2008
This is apropos the excellent article by Justice(retd.) Krishna Iyer that appeared in the issue of 17th July. While appreciating the eloquence with which Justice Iyer has argued his case I must say that the article betrays a mindset rooted in the 70s and 80s when we were economically very weak with very little say in the international arena.
The nuclear deal may or may not give us energy security. But what it definitely does is end our nuclear pariah status that for all purposes clubbed us with states like Pakistan, N.Korea, Iran, Iraq and Libya. The enthusiasm with which the west has received the deal clearly shows that India today commands respect and other nations have recognized us as a significant player in world affairs. We are no longer looked upon as a backward third world nation with perennial problems. We should utilize this opportunity to improve our profile as a responsible player in the international arena.
Deal or no deal, we will always face pressure from the USA with regard to our foreign policy. The government of the day should have the will to stave-off such pressures. We must have the confidence to deal with the west very closely and on equal terms. Self isolation by building walls around us reflects a colonial mindset, a tacit acceptance that the Indian genius is somehow inferior to the American or European genius.
July 17, 2008
This is apropos the excellent article by Justice(retd.) Krishna Iyer that appeared in the issue of 17th July. While appreciating the eloquence with which Justice Iyer has argued his case I must say that the article betrays a mindset rooted in the 70s and 80s when we were economically very weak with very little say in the international arena.
The nuclear deal may or may not give us energy security. But what it definitely does is end our nuclear pariah status that for all purposes clubbed us with states like Pakistan, N.Korea, Iran, Iraq and Libya. The enthusiasm with which the west has received the deal clearly shows that India today commands respect and other nations have recognized us as a significant player in world affairs. We are no longer looked upon as a backward third world nation with perennial problems. We should utilize this opportunity to improve our profile as a responsible player in the international arena.
Deal or no deal, we will always face pressure from the USA with regard to our foreign policy. The government of the day should have the will to stave-off such pressures. We must have the confidence to deal with the west very closely and on equal terms. Self isolation by building walls around us reflects a colonial mindset, a tacit acceptance that the Indian genius is somehow inferior to the American or European genius.
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