India dumps old friend Iran for US nuclear offer
India's unexpected vote against old friend Iran over its nuclear programme stemmed from eagerness to project itself
as a responsible nuclear power and safeguard a landmark atomic energy deal with Washington.
Although this will strain traditional ties with Iran, a key supplier of India's oil and gas, the damage could be
offset by the emergence of other energy sources, officials and analysts said.
"India decided that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush," an analyst wrote. "While the Iran-Pakistan-India
pipeline remains to be negotiated, the Indo-US nuclear agreement is poised delicately in the US Congress," he
said.
"Any Indian waffling on the Iran vote would have cost India the agreement crafted with so much difficulty and upon
whom India's future energy requirements rest."
In a dramatic diplomatic turnaround, India voted for reporting Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear plans
which the United States and European Union say is aimed at developing nuclear weapons.
Until the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) vote, India had walked a tightrope between its traditional ties
with Iran and a blossoming relationship with the United States. But with US Congress due to vote on President George
W. Bush's decision to help India's nuclear energy programme and Congressmen threatening that the India-US deal would
be in danger if New Delhi did not oppose Iran, India had few options.
"This became a test case for our credentials as a responsible nuclear power," a senior Indian government official
said. "How could we tell the world that we are opposed to proliferation, so give us atomic energy, and then support
Iran, especially when we knew the IAEA vote would go through even without us.”
"We had to be realistic," said the official. But wary of domestic political criticism, New Delhi denies the vote had
anything to do with the India-US nuclear deal.
India and the United States, once on opposite sides during the Cold War, grew closer in the last years of Bill
Clinton's presidency, and ties were further strengthened after New Delhi quickly backed Bush's war on terror. Growing
cooperation between the two countries has seen them explore huge arms deals and boost diplomatic and economic
ties.
The relationship hit a new high in July when they signed a sweeping nuclear pact to help New Delhi with ambitious
civilian nuclear plans after India a non-signatory to the global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty made strong
commitments to prevent proliferation. The deal, however, hit a roadblock over Iran.
Not only do India and Iran share historic links, the Islamic country accounts for more than 5 % of India's crude oil
imports. Iran is also one spot where New Delhi a late starter in the global race for petroleum assets has met with
success in its search for energy security.
India's plans for a $ 7 bn gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan did not go down well in Washington, which has
pressured New Delhi to abandon it, some analysts say, in return for US help for India's civilian nuclear programme.
The vote clearly threatens any special treatment India received from Iran.
"Iran has the largest gas reserves in the world. We should have kept a clear corridor with Iran. Now there will be
certain goodwill lost," said Vishvjeet Kanwarpal, chief executive of New Delhi-based Asia Consulting Group.
But others point to India's potential nuclear energy output which now generates just 3 % of its total energy as well
as the discovery of new gas reserves in India and possible supplies from Iraq once the war-torn country
stabilises.
"Like the energy seller has a choice to sell to one or the other country, even a buyer can have a choice to buy from
one or the other," said Shashank, a former Indian foreign secretary. "Just because Iran is giving us assured,
long-term supply of oil, but at market prices, it cannot say: 'Let us do what we want on the nuclear front.' That is
somewhat disingenuous."