ABSTRACT
I n the post-Cold War period, the United States has stepped up its efforts to stem and rever~ the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and thei r means of delivery. The collapse of the Soviet Union has removed the central ideological bone of contention that undergirded the East-Wcst rivalry. There is thus greater consensus on the need to "win" the proliferation run le. At the same time, with the restraining impact of supe rpower rivalry having been removcd, regional as well as other contentious issues have resu rfaced, prompting former US senator Sam Nunn to remark that the world has moved from an "era of high risk but high stability" to one of "low risk, but also low stability." ]
US attempts at devising national as well as multilateral policies to tackle the aforesaid proliferation problem have been questioned on several grounds, from selectivity in the application of rules to double standards in its national versus global perspecti ves on the issue. In South Asia, for instance, rated as a region of prime proliferation concern to the United States, Indian policy relating to its missile program has been at va riance with the US position on the matter. The area of policy divergence has been brought into sharper focus with the setting up of the Missile Tech nology Control Regime (MTCR) in 1987. With one of the more advanced ballistic missile programs i n the world (perhaps after the United States, Russia, France. Britain, Ukraine, and China), and an equally impressive civilian space program, both of which continue to receive top policy priority by the government, India presents a major challenge to the United States in the matter. 79
This matter has acquired added salience in the aftermath of the nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998. The United States, as a prime mover in the nuclear and missile non-proliferation regimes, has demanded that India clarify its defense posture following its decision to establish a "minimum nuclear deterrent," sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) immediately and unconditionally, and agree to be party to the proposed Fissile Material Control Treaty (FMCT). Moreover, India should freeze all missile tests that would further refine and advance its missile arsenal.
