In The News

A Nation of Guinea Pigs

Jenifer Kahn March 14, 2006
Experimental drugs require large testing populations, which are increasingly hard to secure in the developed world. In 2005, the India government lifted restrictions on such testing by foreign-owned firms. So the pharmaceutical industry is outsourcing more trials. India has many advantages for such trials: English-speaking doctors; vast numbers of patients more willing to take experimental...

Nuclear Pact Launches India Into Uncharted Waters

Pratap Bhanu Mehta March 7, 2006
The deal between the US and India is historic, recognizing India’s evolution from a regional to global nuclear power. The deal – yet to be approved by the US Congress, the Indian parliament and the Nuclear Suppliers Group – offers short-term benefits for India, but the long-term implications are less clear, cautions policy analyst Pratap Bhanu Mehta. The agreement marks a major improvement in...

Hacia Aguas Ignotas

Pratap Bhanu Mehta March 7, 2006

A Welcome End to India's Pariah Status

Bronwen Maddox March 3, 2006
US President Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced an agreement that would allow shipment of nuclear components to India for peaceful energy development. India agreed to “irreversibly” turn nearly two-thirds of its 22 nuclear reactors into civilian facilities that will be open for inspection. The agreement is not final, and the US Congress could block the deal, taking advantage of...

India: Pro-America, Pro-Bush

March 1, 2006
Since the beginning of Iraq war, anti-Americanism has increased around the world. According to a new study by the Pew Research Center, however, India not only bucked the trend, but improved its opinion of the US. Seven out of every ten Indians reported a favorable view of the US. Of the 17 countries polled - including US allies like the UK, Canada, and Poland - only Americans felt more positively...

US Approves Visa for Indian Scientist

Shankar Vedantam February 27, 2006
Since the 2001 terrorist attacks the US has implemented a stricter, more time-consuming visa policy citing concerns for national security., However, the recent denial of a visa to Goverdhan Mehta, an Indian scientist who is the president of the International Council for Science, has offered proof that this system remains far from perfect. In a case that caused furor in India just days before a...

SHIN Deal: Is National Security Compromised?

February 9, 2006
In a move that reportedly skirts laws concerning foreign ownership of assets designated strategic or sensitive, Singapore’s state investment arm has acquired a near-majority stake in a Thai telecommunications conglomerate. The deal between Temasek and Shin Corp. has raised alarm in Thailand over privacy and security, especially since Temasek’s investment gives it indirect control over a...