But the ban on dual-use technology would remain unless India signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Karl F Inderfurth, assistant secretary of state for South Asia, told Congress. He pointed out that the ban, which prohibits US companies from dealing with over 200 Indian public and private entities, was governed by NPT guidelines and not the Glenn Amendment which was triggered following India's nuclear tests last May.

Inderfurth, appearing before the House International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific which has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to South Asia, said, "We believe that following signature by India of CTBT we should lift the international financial institution sanctions that were put into place at the G-8 meeting in London."

"We will talk to our G-8 partners about that," he said. That would be a positive step that should be taken" when India signs the CTBT, he said. "Other steps of removal can occur over time as more progress is made in addressing these issues," he added. But with regard to sanctions on dual-use technology, which New Delhi has been complaining for years as unfair and discriminatory, particularly since the US has no compunctions in providing it to China, Inderfurth said, "We are having the kind of discussions with the Indian Government, (and) they understand our restraints, including the fact that they are not NPT partners."

Thus, Inderfurth said, "there are certain things we can't do with them until that issue is addressed. But there is a lot we can do in advance, including hopefully seeing greater relief from the Glenn Amendment sanctions." He declared, "Our goal is a sanctions-free relationship with both countries (India and Pakistan). That's what they want. That's what we want. We are not there yet, but we are in this for the long haul."

Inderfurth said the US had urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's Government "to reach out to coalition members and the opposition" to develop the kind of national consensus "that they will need to bring the CTBT for signature and ratification."