The views expressed by Brad Glosserman and Bates Gill in their Oct. 29 article, "Bush's nuclear deal with India: bigger consequences to consider," are well articulated, albeit with a few gaps. India is not just a rising economic power; it is seen as a major threat by economies that have failed for various reasons.

India was targeted in the past by sanctions pushed by the United States and its allies as a result of the discriminatory Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), etc. The U.S. has now taken the initiative to reverse this treatment for economic and other reasons, a few of which Glosserman and Gill point to.

The 123 agreement and subsequent rise of the "International Standard" for India will definitely have consequences. Real rogue nations like Pakistan, Iran and North Korea will try to fulfill their aspirations through China and others. I wonder why Glosserman and Gill did not mention what Chinese leaders said after the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting.

Yes, there is danger, and to counter it, both Japan and the U.S. need to carefully rewrite the framework of multilateral treaties like the NPT from the nonproliferation perspective. Fortunately, Glosserman and Gill acknowledge India's brilliant record regarding nonproliferation. But a deadly alliance is expected among China, Pakistan, North Korea and, possibly, Iran. This will be a headache for the Indian government as well as the next U.S. administration. It will be very interesting to see how the Japanese government reacts to China-North Korea bilateral agreements.

The NPT, whether subject to review or not, has failed miserably for several reasons. Just check out the history of nuclear arsenal reductions by the five known superpowers, the failure to check Chinese proliferation with Pakistan and North Korea, and the fact that the U.S. -- as well as other nations -- has not ratified the CTBT. The hint given by Glosserman and Gill is a warning signal for all nations.

shrikant atre