1. The deal signals the true end of any cold war sentiments between Washington and New Delhi. Anyone familiar with the history of Indu-US politics is well aware of the cold war era history with India on the side of the USSR and the US siding with Pakistani to balance out South Asia. Even during the Clinton -era when relationships between the thaw started to thaw, the Clinton administration slapped India with sanctions for its 1998 nuclear tests. To this day, this sentiment lingers among various quarters in either country. The passage of the 123 Agreement has in a way signaled the end of this era.

In addition to reversing 34 years of U.S. policy opposing nuclear cooperation with India — a nuclear weapons state that continues to refuse to sign the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — the deal wins acceptance for India’s de facto nuclear weapons state status at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the international cartel that controls trade in nuclear weapons, fuel and technology.

2. India joins the elite cartel of powers that can deal in nuclear technology which significantly increases its international clout.

That recognition will finally allow India to take part in international nuclear commerce and its scientists to participate in international nuclear research activities. For India, the approval is a ringing endorsement of its increasing weight in international affairs, and an acknowledgement of its growing intimacy with the world’s only remaining superpower.

3. At level with China and other recognized nuclear powers.

India “could boast of our bomb, our BPO prowess, economic growth, invites to the G-8 meetings and candidacy for the UN Security Council seat But we were firmly at a different level from, say, China. They could import powerful computers, uranium, sensitive machine tools, software and components for satellites that were denied to us.” Today, that changed, as did the international community’s policy of equating India and Pakistan as nuclear weapons states.

4. And the last but most important, a clear differentiation from Pakistan.

As Indian and U.S. officials have repeatedly pointed out, the deal has “de-hyphenated” India from Pakistan. “For decades India has chafed at the world’s tendency to lock India into a bipolar South Asian framework with Pakistan,” says Joshi. “Now, decisively, the rules have been changed for India, and pointedly not for Pakistan.” The deal also has a bearing on the regional balance of power, making clear the U.S.’s proclivity to India and sending a signal to Beijing that it has other options in the Asian region.

Read the entire TIME magazine article on the passage of the 123 Agreement.

The significance of the India-US nuclear deal - Über Desi

GIBSON: And let me finish with this. I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes? That you think we have the right to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government, to go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area?

PALIN: I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell bent on destroying America and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table.

If only I could vote and if only my vote could make a difference.

4 more years of the same. Sarah Palin agrees. - Über Desi

The Indian Su-30MKI apparently is a hot item
img: via Wikipedia

India and the US have been participating in joint air force exercises over the last decade or so. The most newsworthy story to ever come out of these exercises was when US got drubbed by India in the 2004 Cope India operation.

That pissed off some flyboy bigwigs in the American camp. So when the 2007 edition came around with India brandishing it’s Russian built Su-30MKI planes, they went the route all smart American corporations go, espionage. [Wired Blog 2007]

AFM says that a U.S. RC-135U electronic spy plane just happened to be en route to the U.K from the Middle East at the same time that the Indian aircraft were arriving, giving the U.S. jet a chance to use its radar-frequency measuring equipment to probe the Indians.

But surely if you’re participating in joint exercises your opponent is bound to see your equipment. So why this big deal over spying on the radar?

Because the Flanker’s N-011 radar will also be used by Chinese and Venezuelan jets — and if you know its frequency, you can jam. it.

Even the Brits could not resist listening in.

The Americans weren’t the only potential spies in the area. The Brits also happened to have a BAC-111 test plane, reportedly sporting frequency-detecting gear, in the area as the Indians flew mock dogfights with British Tornado fighters.

Now it was the turn of the IAF babus to get pissed off. They responded in the true desi manner - non cooperation. [Wired Blog 2008]

The self-imposed radar restrictions prevented U.S. snoops from “mapping” the high-tech radar. But other restrictions were dictated by the Indians’ U.S. hosts, Fulghum writes in his excellent piece. The Indians were barred from using data-links, chaff and flares.

With all these restrictions the Indians might’ve as well flown a World War 2 era Mosquito. The result was pretty embarrassing for India.

“When we were targeted by SAMs, we were shot down,” Choudry said. “And there was no [data] picture in the cockpit to help our situational awareness so the work load on the [aircrews] was very high.”

In true desi fashion, the IAF babus stopped short of attributing it to fate and preferred to look at the brighter side.

Regardless, Choudry insisted Red Flag was a good experience for his pilots. Indeed, the Indian Air Force was especially keen to observe U.S. “Net-Centric Warfare” (NCW) operations. “You cannot survive today for long against a good adversary without the NCW capability,” IAF vice chief Air Marshal P.V. Naik told The Economic Times.

India 1 - USA 1

Spy games: USAF-IAF edition - Über Desi

As discussed on UD earlier this year, Sudarshan was accused violating arms control laws by secretly trying to sell components for space vehicles, ballistic missiles and fighter jets to firms associated with India’s defense agencies [UD].

NRI sentenced in US-India arms scam - Über Desi

img: via AFP

A citizen of India living legally in South Carolina pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to illegally export weapons to India, authorities said Thursday. It was one of two cases involving illegal arms in India.

The emphasis on “living legally” is mine. Why did this CNN reporter feel the necessity to include those two words in there? Is a citizen of India living in the US automatically assumed to be here illegally? Anyway, I digress from the main story.

Parthasarathy Sudarshan, 47, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, headed a firm with offices in Bangalore, India, and Singapore. He admitted violating arms control laws by secretly trying to sell components for space vehicles, ballistic missiles and fighter jets to firms associated with India’s defense agencies.

The US firm, MTS, that was involved with Sudarshan was also found in violation of export laws and slapped with a fine. Here’s the interesting part on why MTS failed to comply.

The government said MTS did not apply for a proper license after an employee stated it was “extremely unlikely” that it would gain approval because the equipment could make a significant contribution to India’s nuclear energy programs.

Speaking of, this year May 11^th will be the 10 year anniversary of India’s nuclear tests in 1998.

NRI guilty in US-India arms deal - Über Desi

F-16C aggressor during Red Flag 06-1
Image from Wiki

What is more fun than flying a fighter jet? Taking part in a training exercise with the best in the world and that is where some Indian pilots are headed.

Defense minister AK Anthony revealed that India will be taking part in the “Red Flag” exercise, along with NATA and US military allies in August 2008. Given the recent fiasco by the Chinese, this is another slap in their already upset face.

The “Red Flag” exercise, according to the Wiki

The Red Flag exercises, conducted in four-to-six cycles a year by the 414th Combat Training Squadron of the 57th Wing, are very realistic aerial war games. The purpose is to train pilots from the U.S., NATO and other allied countries for real combat situations. This includes the use of “enemy” hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the Nevada Test and Training Range.

With two teams, Blue being the good one and Red being the “enemy” team, Indian pilots will get to see, practice and engage American Pilots from the 57th Wing’s 57th Adversary Tactics Group.

What caught my eyes was the fact that India has recently signed up with Russia to jointly develop a 5th gen. fighter aircraft and transport planes.

Is this the American way of inviting India to do business with them, given that a whole bunch of American defense firms now have offices in India?

More war games on the Indian calendar - Über Desi