UNITED NATIONS: India is exploiting the successful testing of the Chinese nuclear missile to justify her own atomic ambitions being conducted clandestinely and at the same time to force a joint Soviet-American guarantee aimed at China.

As soon as the news of China’s guided missile broke out here, Indian diplomats at the United Nations launched a campaign against the so-called Chinese nuclear threat to their country. The timing suited the Indians for the General Assembly First Committee is currently dealing with the question of non-proliferation. India is expected to stiffen its terms for signing a non-proliferation treaty raising the Chinese scare. Increasingly, it is becoming evident that she has no intention of adhering to such a treaty except under her own conditions. Among them is a design to bring about a virtual Soviet-American alliance propping up India against China.

At the same time, the Indians are persisting in their absurd claim that there are four nuclear Powers in the world — Russia, the USA, Britain and France, and not five. The Indians do not want to recognise China as a nuclear power despite the fact that even the United States and Russia are today resigned to having Peking as a member of the nuclear club.

In the UN lobbies, some Indian delegates, echoing the sentiments of not a few Americans, are suggesting that some joint efforts should be made to stop China’s nuclear growth including perhaps the destruction of her nuclear installations. The clamour for such a fanatical step, often talked about in the United States in some high quarters, has been revived following China’s demonstration of an amazingly rapid progress in nuclear technology.

[Meanwhile,] the Security Council yesterday [Oct 28] extended the term of the UN Secretary-General U Thant till the end of the current session of the General Assembly which is expected to last until Christmas. Mr Thant’s term was to expire on Nov 3. It is now widely realised that the UN members will have to find a new Secretary-General during the next few weeks.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2016