Arvind Kumar narrates the course of the Indo-US dialogue held until now and points out that "the need of the hour is to enhance strategic and nuclear co-operation between the two countries for mutual benefit."

1. The need to improve Indo-US relations was felt immediately after the nuclear tests conducted by India last summer. There have been eight rounds of  talks between India and the US since then.

2. The crux of the debate is where do the Indo-US talks stand now? Is India a good negotiator? The general feeling in India after the tests was that it would be in a better position to negotiate on a number of important themes, and the that United States would consider India ’s concerns seriously. But, this particular feeling is diminishing day by day domestically.

3. The main goal of the Clinton administration is to prevent an escalation of nuclear and missile competition in the subcontinent, strengthen the global non-proliferation regime and promote a dialogue between India and Pakistan   for improving their relations.

4. The United States expects India to initiate the following steps to reduce tensions on the subcontinent: It must sign and ratify the CTBT, declare a unilateral moratorium on the production of fissile materials, place 5. restraints on its nuclear and missile capabilities, tighten its export controls and bring them up to international standards and it talk to Pakistan on the major issues of disagreement between them, including Kashmir.

6. India responded by saying that the ongoing talks with the United States are based on the premise that India will define its own nuclear requirements. With regard to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), India is moving closer to signing it; it is hoped that India may sign before September 1999. This development can be attributed to the outcome of the Indo-US dialogue. Ironically, the US signed the CTBT in September 1996 but has not ratified it until now.

India rejected the demand made by the US to declare a moratorium on the production of fissile material. But, it is keen to participate in the negotiations on the Fissile Materials Cut off Treaty (FMCT). The FMCT aims to end the future production of nuclear materials for military purposes or other nuclear explosive devices. It is absurd to ask any country to declare a unilateral moratorium on the production of fissile material. Approximately, 36,000 nuclear warheads are held by the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They imperil the world but no credible move has been made to eliminate nuclear weapons to which they are pledged.