India Offered to Share Nuclear Technology with Pak: Wikileaks

Bangalore: WikiLeaks discovered that after the first nuclear test in 1974, India had offered to share nuclear technology with Pakistan.

As per WikiLeaks, Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had informed Parliament after the July 22 tests that she had notified her Pakistani counterpart Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of New Delhi’s keenness to share the relevant technology, as reported by TOI.

A U.S. Embassy cable quoted Gandhi, saying, "I have explained in my letter to Prime Minister Bhutto the peaceful nature and the economic purposes of this experiment and have also stated that India is willing to share her nuclear technology with Pakistan in the same way she is willing to share it with other countries, provided proper conditions for understanding and trust are created. I once again repeat this assurance."

Gandhi had made the offer as Pakistan was reluctant to buy the Indian declaration and she assured that the nuclear test was not intended to harm anybody. However, India could not transfer the technology as it was suppressed with international sanctions, including ban on technology transfer.

To this Gandhi said, "It was emphasized that activities in the field of peaceful nuclear explosion are essentially research and development programmes. Against this background, the government of India fails to understand why India is being criticized on the ground that the technology necessary for the peaceful nuclear explosion is no different from that necessary for weapons programme. No technology is evil in itself: it is the use that nations make of technology which determines its character. India does not accept the principle of apartheid in any matter and technology is no exception," as reported by TOI.

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