Asserting that any relationship between India and United States should be "balanced and equitable", Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said that the recent agreements signed with the US went against the United Progressive Alliance's Common Minimum Programme, which stated that New Delhi would follow an independent foreign policy.

PM's US tour 2005

Taking exception to the defence pact and the joint statement by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images] and US President George W Bush [Images], CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said at a public meeting in Chennai on Monday that "America's strategic goals in Asia are sought to be met through this agreement" The CMP had committed to India playing a leading role in promoting multi-polarity in world relations, he said, adding that his party was disappointed that the defence pact went against the CMP.

In fact, the agreement provided US with an opportunity to involve India in its military strategy of containing China, he said. The US has tried to make India an ally to carry out its "designs" in Asia, he added.

India should not accept any strategic alliance which would restrict its independent role in international affairs. New Delhi should not make any unilateral concessions to US just because it is offered military hardware or support for the civilian nuclear programme, Karat said.

Karat accused the UPA government, which his party is supporting from outside, of continuing with the policies of the previous National Democratic Alliance government. It wanted India to be recognised as a nuclear country "at any cost" and was prepared to do anything for this.

He said the CPI(M) also had reservations on the nuclear co-operation agreement between India and US. Any agreement should not hamper the country's civilian nuclear research programme, he said, adding that civilian and military applications of the nuclear energy should be bifurcated. Karat also expressed the fear that many of the clauses in the agreement might trigger off an arms race in the subcontinent.

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