COMMENTARY
INTERVIEW
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES

US slaps export curbs on three Indian institutions

The Clinton administration has imposed export curbs on three more Indian entities suspecting their involvement in making weapons of mass destruction or missiles used to deliver these weapons. These are: the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Trombay; the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakam; and the Indian Rare Earths Limited.

The action has been taken by the US commerce department under the Enhanced Proliferation Control Initiative. Exports to these ''entities of concern'' will now require more careful scrutiny.

Earlier, the US had taken similar action against the Bharat Electronics Limited, Bangalore.

The US has also taken similar action against three Pakistan entities. These are: the Khan Research Laboratory, Kahuta; the Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology, Rawalpindi (including New Labs, Rawalpindi); and the National Development Centre.

An Israeli and some Chinese and Russian companies have also been subjected to similar curbs.

Under Secretary for Export Administration William A Reinsch, in a statement, said the list alerts exporters that any products sold to these end-users would create an unacceptable risk of diversion to proliferation-related activities.

The development of the list stems from an initiative begun in 1990, when then president George Bush called for redoubling of US efforts to stop the spread of missile technologies as well as nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

UNI

RELATED STORY:
India protests against US export curbs on BEL