Order Code RS21589
Updated May 24, 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, and Indian news outlets. For a substantive review, see CRS Issue
Brief IB93097, India-U.S. Relations. This report will be updated regularly.
05/24/06 — Two days of India-Pakistan talks
Acronyms:
on the militarized Siachen Glacier
BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party
dispute ended without progress.
CBMs: Confidence-building measures
On the same day, Indian press
IAEA: International Atomic
reports claimed that New Delhi will
Energy Agency
not accept giving legal status to its
moratorium on nuclear testing in any civil nuclear cooperation agreement
with the United States. Also, Prime Minister Singh opened a two-day
roundtable with Kashmiri political figures in Srinagar, where multiple
grenade attacks by suspected separatist militants injured at least 19
civilians and 9 policemen.
05/23/06 — S. 1950, to promote global energy security through increased cooperation
between the United States and India on non-nuclear energy-related issues,
was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. On the same day,
Under Secretary of State Burns and U.S. Ambassador to India Mulford
traveled to London to discuss proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear
cooperation with Indian Foreign Secretary Saran. Also, London-based
Amnesty International released its annual report which claimed that
“perpetrators of human rights violations [in India] continued to enjoy
impunity, especially in Gujarat” and that “socially and economically
marginalized groups, including women, dalits, and tribals, continued to
face systemic discrimination.” Finally, the Hurriyat Conference of
Kashmiri separatist groups said it would not participate in a planned
roundtable meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Singh.
05/22/06 — The benchmark Sensex index of the Bombay Stock Exchange suffered
its worst-ever daily decline, losing 10.8% of its value at the end of a
three-day losing streak. On the same day, two civilians were killed and at
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
least 38 injured in multiple grenade attacks by suspected separatist
militants in Kashmir.
05/21/06 — Suspected separatist rebels killed a civilian and abducted six security
personnel in the Assam state.
05/19/06 — H.R. 5430, to establish sound criteria for civilian nuclear cooperation with
certain countries, was introduced in the House. The bill’s sponsor
described it as “an effort to strike a reasonable balance” between U.S.
interests in cooperation with India and U.S. nonproliferation concerns.
05/18/06 — The United States presented a draft global treaty to ban future
production of fissile material (a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty) that it
hopes will be supported by India. Some analysts speculated that the move
was meant to bolster U.S. congressional support for proposed U.S.-India
civil nuclear cooperation. On the same day, election-related violence left
14 people dead in the Bihar state.
05/17/06 — In a review of U.S. South Asia policy, Assistant Secretary of State
Boucher told a House panel that U.S.-India economic relations have
“taken off” and that an initiative for civil nuclear cooperation with India
was “an historic strategic achievement.”
05/16/06 — Twelve civilians, including four women, were killed by a landmine
believed planted by Maoist militants in the Chhattisgarh state.
05/15/06 — Suspected separatist militants slit the throats and killed four alleged
government informants in Kashmir.
05/13/06 — Two civilians were killed and at least 35 injured in a grenade attack by
suspected Islamic militants on a Hindu political rally in Kashmir.
05/12/06
— Defense Minister Mukherjee said “international commitments on
nonproliferation” had kept India from testing its intermediate-range Agni-
3 ballistic missile, spurring press reports that “U.S. pressure” had
influenced New Delhi’s decision. Mukherjee later denied the reports.
05/11/06 — The House International Relations Committee held a hearing on the
U.S.-India “global partnership,” where seven witnesses focused on
proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation and legislative options for
consideration. On the same day, Indian Marxists increased their strength
with convincing electoral victories in the West Bengal and Kerala states.
05/09/06 — NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization agreed to include two
U.S. scientific instruments on India’s Chandrayaan lunar mission planned
for 2007. On the same day, Indian soldiers in Kashmir shot and killed a
suspected Islamic militant reportedly linked to the 3/7 terrorist bombings
in Varanasi.
05/08/06 — A Pakistani national and alleged member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist
group was shot and killed by New Delhi police.
05/05/06 — In H.Rept. 109-452 accompanying the National Defense Authorization
Act for FY2007, the House Armed Services Committee commended
India’s recent efforts to improve its export controls and would direct the
Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress a report on the Department’s
cooperative activities to further enhance India’s export controls.
05/04/06 — Three days of communal rioting following the demolition of a Muslim
shrine in the Gujarat state left 6 people dead and dozens injured. More
than 1,000 Indian army troops were deployed to quell the violence. On the
same day, two civilians were killed and six injured in a grenade attack by
suspected separatist militants in Kashmir.

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CRS-3
05/03/06 — India agreed to launch a second cross-LOC bus service and to allow
cross-LOC truck service to facilitate trade in Kashmir. On the same day,
Assistant Secretary of State Boucher met with senior leaders in New Delhi
to discuss democracy in Nepal. Also, the Indian military launched an
exercise to test a new doctrine to “dismember a not-so-friendly nation
effectively and in the shortest possible time.” Finally, the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom’s annual report found
that positive developments in India affecting freedom of religion that
began with the 2004 election of a Congress-led coalition government
continued in 2005, but that “serious concerns remain,” especially as
related to violent acts perpetrated by extremist Hindu nationalist groups.
05/02/06 — Indian Oil Minister Deora said the United States cannot pressure India to
withdraw from a proposed pipeline project that would deliver Iranian gas
to India through Pakistan.
05/01/06 — Suspected Islamic militants shot and killed at least 35 Hindu villagers
in Kashmir.
04/29/06 — Maoist militants reportedly killed 15 of the 48 civilian hostages they had
taken in the Chhattisgarh state.
04/28/06 — The State Department’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2005 said New
Delhi had “improved its tactics against terrorists” and it found that civilian
deaths from terrorists attacks in Jammu and Kashmir continued a five-year
decline, but also warned that attacks by Maoist terrorists are “growing in
sophistication and lethality and may pose a long-term threat.” On the
same day, 11 suspected Maoist militants, including 6 women, were shot
and killed by police in the Andhra Pradesh state.
04/27/06 — A third round of India-Pakistan expert-level talks on conventional
CBMs resulted in several agreements aimed at avoidance of conflict. On
the same day, India rejected a Pakistani proposal to remove all heavy
weapons from Kashmir. Also, former External Affairs Minister and
ousted senior Congress Party figure Natwar Singh criticized New Delhi’s
approach to proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation. Finally, 14
people, including 8 tourists, were injured in a grenade attack by suspected
separatist militants in Kashmir.
04/26/06 — A Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S.-India nuclear
energy cooperation saw eight nongovernmental witnesses weigh in on
the potential benefits of and problems with the Bush Administration
initiative. On the same day, a fourth round of India-Pakistan expert-
level talks on nuclear CBMs produced no new agreements. Also, India
and Uzbekistan signed agreements to cooperate in a number of areas,
including counterterrorism and energy.
04/25/06 — Seven people, including four militants and two policemen, were killed in
separatist-related violence in Kashmir.
04/24/06 — Energy Secretary Bodman reiterated U.S. opposition to a proposed
pipeline that would deliver Iranian gas to India through Pakistan. On the
same day, Power Minister Shinde visited Washington for meetings with
top U.S. officials. Also, a leading Pakistan senator accused India of
pursuing a malevolent policy in Afghanistan, including providing military
training to 600 Pakistani Baloch rebels.

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CRS-4
04/23/06 — German Chancellor Merkel indicated that Berlin may support proposed
U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation.
04/22/06 — Senior opposition BJP leader Pramod Mahajan was shot by his
brother in a family dispute and died 11 days later. On the same day,
West Bengal and Kerala, traditional strongholds for Indian Marxists, held
state-level elections.
04/21/06 — Four suspected Maoist militants were shot and killed by police in the
Andhra Pradesh state.
04/20/06 — Counterterrorism Coordinator Crumpton led the U.S. delegation for a
two-day meeting of the U.S.-India Joint Working Group on
Counterterrorism in Washington. On the same day, former External
Affairs Minister and senior opposition BJP figure Jaswant Singh formally
presented a number of questions on the wisdom of proposed U.S.-India
civil nuclear cooperation. Also, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin made
a formal bid to sell about $1 billion worth of maritime surveillance aircraft
and military helicopters to India. Finally, an Indian press report claimed
that India would soon “deploy a fleet” of MiG-29 fighter aircraft at its
“first overseas military facility in Tajikistan.” The Indian Air Force later
denied the report.
04/19/06 — The benchmark Sensex index of the Bombay Stock Exchange rose above
the 11,000 mark for the first time ever.
04/18/06 — The inaugural South Asia Renewable Energy Summit was held in New
Delhi. On the same day, India decided to alter the design of the
controversial Kishanganga dam project in Indian Kashmir in ways that
New Delhi hopes will end a long-standing dispute with Islamabad. Also,
Home Secretary Duggal claimed that camps for training Islamic militants
to fight in Kashmir are “flourishing” in Pakistan. Finally, a landmine
attack by Maoist militants killed two policemen in the Maharashtra state
and a 2,500-man force of Maoists besieged a village in the neighboring
Chhattisgarh state.
04/17/06 — An External Affairs Ministry spokesman said India will not accept
any U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement provision that
would limit its freedom to test nuclear weapons in the future. On the
same day, polls opened in the first round of voting for a new state
legislature in West Bengal, where the long-ruling Marxists hope to widen
their advantage over the Congress Party.
04/14/06 — Two bombs exploded at New Delhi’s main mosque, injuring at least 13
people. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. On the same day,
a series of grenade attacks by suspected separatist militants killed at least
5 people and wounded another 18 in Srinagar, Kashmir. Also, a senior
Indian Air Force officer said India will reduce the number of joint air
exercises with foreign militaries to two per year and will hold such
exercises with the United States once every three years.
04/13/06 — Prime Minister Singh identified a worsening Maoist insurgency as
“the single biggest internal security challenge” ever faced by India,
saying it threatened “our democracy, our way of life.”
04/12/06 — The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation agreed in principle
to grant the United States (and South Korea) observer status. On the same
day, an Indian intelligence official and five suspected separatist militants
were killed in a gunbattle in Kashmir.

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CRS-5
04/11/06 — India’s Air Force chief announced that India had begun work on creating
an inter-services military Aerospace Command.
04/10/06 — Afghan President Karzai met with top Indian leaders in New Delhi,
where Prime Minister Singh pledged another $50 million in assistance to
Afghanistan (bringing total assistance to $650 million since 2001).
04/09/06 — House Speaker Representative Dennis Hastert led a bipartisan House
delegation on a four-day visit to India to meet with top Indian leaders.
04/08/06 — The Ministry of External Affairs rejected a U.S. prompt that India better
define its “minimum credible [nuclear] deterrent” requirements, saying the
“self-explanatory term” is a “response to a dynamic and changing security
environment.”
04/06/06 — H.Con.Res. 388, condemning human rights violations against the
Kashmiri Pandits, was introduced in the House.
04/05/06 — Key House and Senate committees hosted Secretary of State Rice for
hearings on proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation. Secretary
Rice argued forcefully in favor of the Administration’s initiative.
04/03/06 — The State Department confirmed that two Iranian naval vessels had
visited Indian ports in March, but called it a “limited type of event” that
did not suggest Indian involvement in training or contributing to Iranian
military capabilities. Some in Congress expressed concern about India-
Iran military ties. On the same day, the United States and India signed an
agreement on India’s participation in the FutureGen project to build an
emissions-free coal-fired power plant.
03/30/06 — During a visit to Washington, Foreign Secretary Saran defended proposed
U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation, rejecting fears that India would
quickly bolster its nuclear weapons arsenal and calling the proposal a
“critical component” of broader U.S.-India relations.
03/29/06 — In a Washington Post opinion article, former President Jimmy Carter
criticized proposed civil nuclear cooperation with India as “just one more
step in opening Pandora’s box of nuclear proliferation.” On the same day,
the Indian and Pakistan commerce secretaries held Composite Dialogue
talks on bilateral economic and commercial cooperation.
03/28/06 — Secretary of State Rice told a Senate panel that the United States would
like to see India (and China) be more active pressuring the oppressive
regime in Burma.
03/26/06 — India and Israel reportedly agreed to hold their first-ever joint military
exercises that would involve top-line Indian and Israeli fighter aircraft.
03/24/06 — In a speech marking the launch of a new bus service linking Amritsar,
India with Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, Prime Minister Singh envisioned
someday entering into a Treaty of Peace, Security, and Friendship with
Islamabad. On the same day, a landmine attack by Maoist militants killed
13 civilians in the central Chhattisgarh state. The militants later issued a
rare apology for the deaths, saying they had been targeting police.
03/23/06 — Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi resigned her seat in Parliament in an
effort to defuse a dispute over claims she had broken parliamentary rules.
03/20/06 — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent letters to Congress in support of
legislation to allow for civil nuclear cooperation with India. On the same
day, Texas-based Dell Inc. announced plans to double the size of its
workforce in India to 20,000.

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CRS-6
03/16/06 — H.R. 4974 and S. 2429, to waive the application of certain
requirements under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 with respect to
India were, at the President’s request, introduced in the House and Senate,
respectively. On the same day, President Bush’s 2006 National Security
Strategy of the United States stated, “We have set aside decades of
mistrust and put relations with India ... on a new and fruitful path.”
03/15/06 — The Energy Diplomacy and Security Act of 2006 (S. 2435), which
includes India-related initiatives, was introduced in the Senate.
03/13/06 — A press statement from Chairman of the House International Relations
Committee Representative Henry Hyde suggested that Congress may
seek conditions for approval of legislation to allow for civil nuclear
cooperation with India. On the same day, in a Washington Post opinion
article, Secretary of State Rice argued that proposed civil nuclear
cooperation with India “is an essential step toward our goal of
transforming America’s partnership with India.”
03/10/06 — An open letter to Congress signed by 27 South Asia experts urged
approval of legislation to allow for civil nuclear cooperation with India.
03/08/06 — The White House issued a press release responding to critics of proposed
U.S. civil nuclear cooperation with India.
03/07/06 — Apparent terrorist bombings in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi (or
Benares) killed at least 15 people and injured more than 100 others.
03/06/06 — Prime Minister Singh told Parliament that India’s 2/4 IAEA vote on Iran’s
nuclear program was made in India’s national interest and that his
government remains committed to “widening, deepening, and expanding”
its ties with Iran.
03/03/06 — A report of the U.S.-India CEO Forum identified India’s poor
infrastructure and dense bureaucracy as key impediments to increased
bilateral trade and investment relations.
03/02/06 — President and Prime Minister Singh issued a Joint Statement
expressing mutual satisfaction with “great progress” made in advancing
the U.S.-India “strategic partnership.” The statement, which reviewed
bilateral efforts to expand ties in numerous areas, notably announced
“successful completion of India’s [nuclear facility] separation plan,”
a reference to ongoing and complex negotiations related to President
Bush’s July 2005 vow to achieve “full civilian nuclear energy cooperation
with India.” President Bush called the agreement “historic” and
“necessary” for helping the American and Indian people. On the same
day, the Pentagon issued a statement lauding bilateral military relations
with India and anticipating possibly major arms sales to that country.
03/01/06 — President Bush arrived in New Delhi. Thousands of mostly Muslim and
communist protestors, including some 100,000 Muslim men in New
Delhi, marched in protest in several Indian cities.
02/28/06 — President Bush began a four-day visit to South Asia. On the same day,
Maoist rebels exploded a landmine under a truck in the central
Chhattisgarh state, killing at least 55 people.

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