A nuclear boost

Delhi

In a surprise decision, President Bush has decided to provide India with U.S. civilian nuclear technology. The decision marks a departure from the longtime U.S. policy not to share nuclear information with countries, including India and Pakistan, that have not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But Bush is believed to be seeking to draw the Indians into a closer relationship with the U.S., to serve as an Asian counterweight to China. Arms control advocates in the U.S. said making an exception for India could lead other countries to conclude that building nuclear weapons will not result in sanctions. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was thankful, and said that his country is “fully conscious of the immense responsibilities that come with the possession of advanced technologies, both civilian and strategic.”