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North Korea test will have fallout for India: experts

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Oct 9, IRNA
India-N Korea-Nuke Test
Nuclear test by North Korea will have 'serious' implications for India, former diplomats feel, with one of them blaming the US and its western allies for adopting 'very soft' approach towards the clandestine axis of atomic cooperation between Pakistan, China and North Korea.

"On the basis of information available so far, it (North Korea's test) seems to be like Pakistan's nuclear capability which is based on clandestine procurement of nuclear technology," former foreign secretary Shashank said when contacted by PTI.

Shashank said this will have implications for India, which must take up the issue with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and ask it to ascertain how this clandestine program materialized and whether it was with the help of the A Q Khan network emanating from Pakistan for black market of nuclear technology.

Former Indian ambassador to Washington Naresh Chandra regretted that the US and other western powers did not seriously take note of the trade-off between Pakistan providing Pyongyang nuclear technology in return for ballistic missiles from North Korea.

He said all this has happened because the US and its western allies had taken a very soft and casual approach to the clandestine link among China, Pakistan and North Korea on nuclear proliferation.

Shashank said India had played a key role at the time of the original Korean problem. 'But since then, it has been out of the loop' and now the onus was on the six-party talks.

North Korea's calling for bilateral talks with the US and the possible role played by Pakistan-sponsored nuclear proliferation would require India to look at the development 'very carefully', he said.

Former envoy to Pakistan G Parthasarathy said, "Naturally, it is a matter of concern for India because it will have adverse implications on the security situation in the Asia-Pacific."

He said, "Primarily, the issue is being dealt with by the six parties. I hope the issue can be resolved within that framework." Former director of the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis Air commodore Jasjit Singh said the test should not come as a surprise as 'North Korea has been saying all along that it was willing to talk but needed to be assured of its security. But the US adopted a confrontationist approach leading to this stage'.

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