Indian Test Deception Reported

India dodged U.S. spy satellites and created a diversion to carry out its underground nuclear tests in secrecy last week, Jane’s Defense Weekly reported today.

It quoted official Indian sources as saying that Indian scientists charted the path of two U.S. satellites responsible for surveillance over the subcontinent.

Jane’s said that, shortly before the first test May 11, a “strategic deception” was enacted more than a thousand miles away near the east coast, where more equipment than necessary was moved for testing a missile. The action prompted U.S. satellites to focus on the missile test site rather than on nuclear testing grounds in Pokaran, to the west.

Naresh Chandra, India’s ambassador to the U.S., said Tuesday that New Delhi wants to reach agreement with the international community “as soon as possible” on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. More than 145 nations have signed the 1996 treaty; U.S. ratification of the pact remains stalled in the Senate.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign for failing to react to the nuclear tests by archrival India in a similar manner.

“Nawaz Sharif should resign because the government has failed to safeguard the security of Pakistan by not responding to the Indian nuclear tests,” said the former premier, who returned Tuesday from abroad to face new arrest warrants on corruption charges.