Today, the Indian economy is in far worse
shape than it was when he took office in 2004, with government spending out of
control, a doubling of the tax burden and a raft of restrictions on private
initiative and enterprise.
Why, despite Singh having implemented a
"communist lite" program as prime minister, are the two communist
parties so anxious to defeat his government and thereby block further progress
on the nuclear negotiations begun with the George W. Bush- Manmohan Singh
statement on U.S.-India nuclear cooperation on July 18, 2005? After all, the
two parties are openly pacifist, having opposed the country's nuclear weapons
program since its inception in 1985, and the agreements now being discussed
would significantly limit India's freedom of action to build an arsenal capable
of responding against a nuclear attack.
Contrary to the reports and commentaries
now appearing in the Indian media, the change in stand of the Communist Party
of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India has little to do with
nuclear weapons or energy. It is based on what is perceived – despite ritual
denials by the United States and India – to be the principal reason behind the
July 18, 2005 accord: the integration of India into the defense architecture of
the United States, in the manner of Japan.