Order Code RS21589
Updated February 7, 2006
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
India: Chronology of Recent Events
K. Alan Kronstadt
Analyst in Asian Affairs
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
This report provides a reverse chronology of recent events involving India and
India-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, major newswires, the U.S.
Department of State, Hindu (Madras), Hindustan Times (Delhi), and Indian Express
(Bombay). For a substantive review, see CRS Issue Brief IB93097, India-U.S.
Relations, by K. Alan Kronstadt. This report will be updated regularly.
02/07/06
— The United States joined
India
in
supporting a major U.N. program to
Acronyms:
BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party
combat trafficking in persons in India.
IAEA: International Atomic
On the same day, the benchmark Sensex
Energy Agency
index of the Bombay Stock Exchange
LOC: Line of Control (Kashmir)
rose above the 10,000 mark for the first
time ever. Also, former Prime Minister V.P. Singh asked New Delhi to
review the July 2005 U.S.-India nuclear agreement in light of indications
that Washington was using it as a lever against Tehran.
02/06/06 — India announced that it would withdraw up to 5,000 troops from
Indian Kashmir in response to declining levels of violence there. The
withdrawal removes perhaps 1% of all troops in the region and may be a
gesture in the peace process with Pakistan. On the same day, large areas
of Indian Kashmir were shut down by strikers protesting the publication
in European newspapers of cartoons deemed offensive to Muslims.
02/05/06 — Leftist parties and the regional Samajwadi Party criticized New Delhi’s
2/4 IAEA vote on Iran, calling it “unacceptable” and a capitulation to U.S.
pressure. Some major newspaper editorials echoed the sentiments.
02/04/06 — India voted with the majority on an IAEA resolution to “report”
Iran’s controversial nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council.
New Delhi called the resolution “well-balanced” in allowing diplomatic
efforts to continue under the purview of the IAEA, and insisted that its
vote should not be interpreted as detracting from India’s traditionally close
relations with Iran. The United States later expressed being pleased with
India’s vote. On the same day, airport workers ended four days of strikes
when the government agreed to consider their concerns over airport
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
CRS-2
privatization plans. Also, three suspected Maoist militants were killed in
a gunbattle in the southern Andhra Pradesh state.
02/03/06 — The Indian Navy declined an offer to lease two U.S. P-3C maritime
reconnaissance aircraft, calling the arrangements “expensive and time-
consuming.” On the same day, the opposition BJP took power in the
southern Karnataka state and its capital, Bangalore, the first time the BJP
has led a government in southern India.
02/02/06 — Director of Intelligence Negroponte told a Senate panel that “rapid
economic growth and increasing technological competence are securing
India’s leading role in South Asia, while helping India to realize its
longstanding ambition to become a global power.” On the same day, New
Delhi formally launched the country’s most ambitious-ever anti-poverty
initiative that would provide guaranteed jobs for one member of each of
India’s 60 million rural households.
02/01/06 — Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Dobriansky led the U.D.
delegation for a fourth meeting of the U.S.-India Global Issues Forum
was held in New Delhi. On the same day, contracts for the privatization
of major Indian airports triggered strikes by 22,000 airport workers,
closing the Calcutta airport and disrupting service in those of Delhi and
Bombay. Also, Prime Minister Singh said India is committed to the
“friendliest possible relations” with Pakistan.
01/31/06 — Twenty major U.S. exhibitors, including the U.S. Army, participated
in a four-day Defense Expo in New Delhi. On the same day, India and
Pakistan signed an agreement to relaunch a cross-border train service that
was halted in 1965. Also, former Indian National Security Advisor
Brajesh Mishra said the July 2005 agreement on U.S.-India civil nuclear
cooperation could end up compromising India’s strategic interests and
“should be thrown in the waste paper basket.”
01/30/06 — Texas-based Dell Inc. announced plans to add 5,000 jobs to its India
operations, an increase of 50%.
01/29/06 — U.S. Ambassador to India Mulford reportedly said that India must “deliver
a credible plan” for separation of its civilian and military nuclear facilities
and “that standard had not been met yet.” The Ambassador also
reportedly criticized Indian leftist parties for their opposition to opening
India’s retail market to foreign investment. These parties later demanded
the Ambassador’s recall for his “unbecoming” comments. On the same
day, Prime Minister Singh announced major changes to his Cabinet,
including replacement of Oil Minister Aiyar with Murli Deora, who is
considered to be pro-reform and pro-U.S.
01/28/06 — Eight people, including six suspected separatist militants and two Indian
soldiers, were reported killed in gunbattles in Indian Kashmir.
01/27/06 — Saudi King Abdullah visited New Delhi, where India and Saudi Arabia
signed a pact to expand bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, trade and
investment opportunities, and to develop a “strategic energy partnership.”
On the same day, the influential regional Samajwadi Party announced
plans to launch large-scale protests upon the expected visit of President
Bush for his “anti-Iran and anti-Iraq policies.” The party and former
Prime Minister V.P. Singh also demanded the recall of the U.S.
ambassador for his 1/25 remarks. Also, India and Israel reportedly
CRS-3
finalized their largest-ever joint weapons development pact involving a
long-range air defense missile system.
01/26/06 — Former Prime Minister Vajpayee reportedly called the U.S. Ambassador’s
1/25 remarks “outrageous” and a violation of all diplomatic norms, and
leftist parties called the remarks “a serious affront to India and its
sovereignty.” On the same day, Secretary of State Rice told an interviewer
“India has to make some difficult choices” with regard to reaching an
agreement on U.S.-India nuclear power cooperation, but that progress was
being made toward that goal.
01/25/06 — U.S. Ambassador to India Mulford explicitly linked progress on a
proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India’s
upcoming IAEA vote on Iran’s nuclear program, saying if India chose
not to vote with the United States, he believed the U.S.-India civil nuclear
cooperation initiative “will die in the Congress.” The External Affairs
Ministry later stated that India “categorically rejects” any attempts to link
the two issues. A State Department spokesman later called the
Ambassador’s comments a “personal opinion.” On the same day, Trade
Minister Nath announced new regulations that will allow foreign investors
to own 51% of retail outlets selling only single-brand goods.
01/24/06 — President Bush said he would travel to India in March 2006.
01/22/06 — The national coalition-leading Congress Party issued a resolution on
external security affairs which included a reiteration of India’s
“commitment to the ideals of the Non-Aligned Movement” and a strong
endorsement of both the July 2005 U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation
agreement and the June 2005 U.S.-India defense framework agreement.
The resolution also expressed “serious concerns about terrorist
infrastructure in Pakistan” and called on Islamabad to “dismantle the
infrastructure of terrorism completely.” On the same day, a series of
bomb attacks by separatist militants killed at least two people and
damaged oil facilities in the northeastern Assam state.
01/21/06 — Oil Minister Aiyar reportedly said that Iranian natural gas is critical to
poverty eradication efforts in India and he expressed hope that the United
States would be “sensitive to [India’s] energy requirements.”
01/20/06 — Concluding two days of talks in New Delhi, Under Secretary of State
Burns called negotiations toward establishing U.S.-India nuclear power
cooperation “a very difficult undertaking” with “some difficulties ahead,”
but he expressed hope that an agreement would be reached. Foreign
Secretary Saran said that India’s “long-standing, close” relations with Iran
leads the Indian government to seek a non-confrontational approach to the
issue of Tehran’s controversial nuclear program.
01/19/06 — Career Foreign Service officer Richard Boucher was nominated to be
Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs.
01/18/06 — During a visit to Bombay, Under Secretary of State Burns reviewed
extensive common interests of the United States and India, and said the
U.S.-India relationship stands on its own and “is not directed at any other
country.” He also called negotiations toward establishing bilateral nuclear
power cooperation “quite challenging” and “quite complex,” but
expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached. On the same
day, foreign secretary-level India-Pakistan talks ended with Foreign
Secretary Saran offering a positive assessment of the ongoing “composite
CRS-4
dialogue” while also asserting that Pakistan had not taken sufficient steps
to end “cross-border terrorism” in India. Also, New York-based Human
Rights Watch released an annual report noting “important positive steps”
by the Indian government in 2005 with respect to human rights, but also
reviewing persistent problems such as abuses by security forces and a
failure to contain violent religious extremism.
01/17/06 — An unnamed senior Indian official reportedly said that India would move
forward on a proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project regardless
of “political developments” in India-Iran relations. On the same day,
seven people, including five suspected separatist militants, were reported
killed in gunbattles in Indian Kashmir.
01/15/06 — India’s army chief said his forces had stemmed militant infiltrations in
Kashmir, but warned that such infiltrations across borders with Nepal and
Bangladesh may be increasing. On the same day, five suspected separatist
militants, including two members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group,
were reported killed in gunbattles in Indian Kashmir.
01/14/06 — An alliance of leftist parties promised protest demonstrations wherever
President Bush goes in his upcoming visit to India.
01/13/06 — Press reports that India might withdraw from a proposed Iran-Pakistan-
India gas pipeline project due to U.S. objections spurred India’s oil
minister to reiterate that New Delhi was “fully committed” to the venture.
01/12/06 — U.S. and Indian officials in Bombay concluded the inaugural meeting of
the Civil Nuclear Working Group as part of the U.S.-India Energy
Dialogue. On the same day, India and China agreed to cooperate in
securing overseas oil resources.
01/10/06 — Foreign Secretary Saran concluded a visit to Beijing where he
discussed the India-China “strategic partnership” and unresolved border
disputes with top Chinese leaders.
01/09/06 — The British medical journal Lancet published a study estimating that up
to 10 million Indian females are “missing” due to sex-selective abortions
and infanticide over the past two decades.
01/08/06 — Pakistani President Musharraf accused India of arming and
financing militants fighting in Baluchistan. New Delhi categorically
rejected the allegations as being “utterly baseless and false.”
01/07/06 — Pakistani President Musharraf offered a new initiative calling for the
withdrawal of Indian troops from three key Kashmiri cities in return for
Pakistani assistance in ending Islamic militancy in the region. New Delhi
quickly rejected the proposal, saying such decisions are a matter of India’s
sovereignty and “cannot be dictated by any foreign government.” On the
same day, Prime Minister Singh formally launched a program to award
citizenship to people of Indian origin living overseas.
01/06/06 — Indian and Pakistani officials met in New Delhi to finalize plans for a new
cross-border railway service to begin in February.
01/05/06 — Secretary of State Rice told an interviewer that India “will have to access
civil nuclear energy if it’s not to be totally dependent on carbon and if it
is not to be dependent on carbon relationships with countries that we’ve
had concerns about.”
01/04/06 — A senior State Department official said the United States is “absolutely
opposed” to any gas pipeline projects involving Iran.
CRS-5
01/03/06 — The leader of India’s largest communist party said the Left Front would
withdraw its support for the Congress-led coalition if it continued efforts
to become a “strategic partner” of the United States.
01/02/06 — The main opposition BJP selected moderate Uttar Pradesh politician
Rajnath Singh to lead the party following Lal Advani’s resignation.
12/31/05 — Suspected Maoist militants killed a senior police official in the
northeastern Manipur state.
12/29/05 — Former Prime Minister and decades-long BJP notable Atal Vajpayee
announced his retirement from politics.
12/28/05 — Gunmen opened fire on conference attendees at a leading Indian
science institute in Bangalore, killing one and wounding four others.
Police later arrested suspected members the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-
Taiba terrorist group in connection with the attack.
12/27/05 — The United States imposed sanctions on two Indian chemical concerns
for selling WMD-related materials to Iran. New Delhi later called the
move “unjustified.” On the same day, an External Affairs Ministry
spokesman told a questioner that India “has been watching with concern
the spiraling violence in Baluchistan [Pakistan] and the heavy military
action” and that New Delhi hopes Islamabad will “exercise restraint” in
the region. A Pakistani official later sternly advised Indian leaders to
“mind their own business.”
12/26/05 — Suspected Maoist militants killed four Indian railway police and attacked
a police station in the eastern Orissa state.
12/22/05 — Opposition BJP figures in the Indian Parliament accused the Congress-led
coalition of allowing India to become a “U.S. stooge” and warned that the
U.S. Congress was preparing to “shift the goal posts” on a civil nuclear
cooperation agreement.
12/21/05 — Foreign Secretary Saran visited Washington, where he met with top
U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Rice, and reportedly presented
a preliminary Indian plan to separate its civilian and military nuclear
facilities as per the July 2005 U.S.-India Joint Statement. Saran lauded
“dramatically” transforming U.S.-India relations and the “profound
implications” of recent bilateral economic understandings, and he argued
that full U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation would aid international
nonproliferation efforts while facilitating further Indian economic growth.
He said that suggested “improvements” to the nuclear deal — such as
requiring India to end its production of fissile material — would be “deal-
breakers.” On the same day, Indian and Pakistani officials meeting in
Lahore agreed to launch new cross-border bush service.
12/19/05 — Canada urged India to allow IAEA access to the Canadian-supplied
CIRUS nuclear facility which many experts believe was illicitly used by
India to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. On the same day, four
suspected separatist militants were killed in a gunbattle in Indian Kashmir.
12/17/05 — India and Pakistan agreed to begin work by 2007 on a proposed Iran-
Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. On the same day, India bolstered by
20% its eastern Border Security Force, where 53,000 troops seek to block
illegal migration and the movements of armed militants from Bangladesh.
12/16/05 — Two suspected separatist militants and a soldier were killed in a gunbattle
in Indian Kashmir.
CRS-6
12/15/05 — H.Con.Res. 318, expressing concern regarding nuclear proliferation with
respect to proposed full civilian nuclear cooperation with India, was
introduced in the House.
12/14/05 — An Indian court sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment for their roles
in lethal anti-Muslim rioting in Gujarat in 2002. On the same day, Indian
soldiers killed six suspected separatist militants in a gunbattle near
Srinagar, Kashmir.
12/07/05 — Defense Minister Mukherjee said that India-U.S. security relations did not
include plans to cooperate on missile defense or in multilateral military
operations outside the ambit of the United Nations. On the same day,
Washington-based Microsoft Corp. announced plans to invest $1.7 billion
in India over the next four years.
12/06/05 — Senator Richard Lugar warned that Congress would be unlikely to approve
the July 2005 U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement if India
presented an “opaque or incomprehensible” plan to separate its military
and civilian nuclear facilities.
12/05/05 — Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh resigned from government
following accusations he was involved in corruption in the U.N.-Iraq oil-
for-food program. On the same day, California-based Intel Corp.
announced plans to invest $1 billion in India.
11/30/05 — Under Secretary of Commerce McCormick led the U.S. delegation at the
fourth meeting of the U.S.-India High-Technology Cooperation
Group in New Delhi.
11/23/05 — Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld met with Defense Secretary Dutt for the
seventh session of the U.S.-India Defense Policy Group.
11/18/05 — Eighteen experts, scholars, and former U.S. government officials sent a
letter urging Members of the Congress to “critically examine” the
7/18 U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement, saying the
proposal “poses far-reaching and potentially adverse implications for U.S.
nuclear nonproliferation objectives” and is unlikely to bring India “into
closer alignment with other U.S. strategic objectives.”
11/13/05 — U.S. Trade Representative Portman met with Commerce Minister Nath in
New Delhi for the inaugural session of the U.S.-India Trade Policy
Forum, where the two countries agreed to establish several focus groups
to promote bilateral trade.
11/12/05 — Prime Minister Singh held talks with his Pakistani counterpart on the
sidelines of a South Asia summit in Bangladesh, but no new steps were
announced for improving bilateral relations. Singh reportedly warned that
terrorist incidents could disrupt the peace process. On the same day, U.S.
Trade Representative Portman visited New Delhi for meetings with top
Indian officials, where he inaugurated the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum.
11/08/05 — The U.S. Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report
2005 found that the status of religious freedom in India had “improved in
a number of ways ... yet serious problems remained.”