No, not tonight. Tonight's the night in Manila, when Regional powers, Big powers, Economic powers, Permanent Security Council members -- in fact, as the Prime Minister's roving envoy Jaswant Singh pointed out in his intervention at the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting yesterday, ``All the nuclear powers, in one way or another are represented here'' -- are letting their hair down or lightening up. Having a good time.

For tonight's the night that the foreign ministers ofthe ASEAN and their 10 dialogue partners (of which India is one, are putting together a variety programme in which they are the main characters. This is the ASEAN version of ``Sound of Music''. So long, Farewell, ``Paalam Po, Goodbye...''

Informality is the mood of the evening, a right ASEAN intends to reassert after having been trampled upon by their non-ASEAN counterparts over the condemnation of India's nuclear tests yesterday. Their last supper together for this year over, the ASEAN foreign ministers are leading the way in the evening of song and dance.

The Indian delegation are at Slot No. 6. Jaswant Singh, after bilaterals with Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov, Japanese deputy foreign minister Masahiko Komura, New Zealand foreign minister Charles McKinnon, Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer and British minister of state in the foreign office Derek Fatchett, besides the post-ministerial conference of the ASEAN nations this morning, will lead the number.

``Chodo kal kibaaten/kal ki baat purani/Naye daur mein likhenge/Mil kar nayi kahani/Hum Hindustani/Tum Aseani...''

The hit song from the hit 1960s movie `Hum Hindustani' now has new lyrics. Its authors, joint secretaries and their subordinates in the Ministry of External Affairs, have worked at pitch and synchronising key. They've been practising late into the night after endless discussions on disarmament and the region's financial crisis. They've done sessions with a Filipino band. The intent is clear: Let's walks into the new century together.

But note, too, the overt references to India's nuclear status in India's song. It's sung with a clarity not even non-ASEAN members can miss: ``Why such a fuss over a few crackers in the Thar (sung to the tune of `Aaj hum saari janjeeron ko tod chuke hain)/They were'nt as loud as Nevada and Lop Nor (test sites in the US and China for the uninitiated)' Sheriff (Nawaz Sharif) took his gift -- wrapped ones and joined the fun/Evita lost some sleep, Juan proliferatedin the sun...''

The Americans are sworn to secrecy about what Albright is singing tonight but last year she'd wowed the ASEAN with Andrew Lloyed Webber's reworked tune which went, ``Don't cry for me ASEAN...'' The feverish rumour mill says here that her song is going to be from the ``Titanic,'' ``My heart will go down with you ASEAN...''

Meanwhile the US delegation, which has taken over 120 rooms in the Manila hotel, has plastered on each of its rooms the following notice: ``These rooms are not secured. Please remove all classified documents when you leave.''

More on India's song: ``Talk of your bikinis/Talk of your atolls (reference to the early H-bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific)/Before you talk of our sands/O Hindustani, O partners many/We Hindustani with Aseani.

``As for Teddy (Misha), we still cherish your bear hugs/Forget sanctions, Taro (Ryutaro Hashimoto, just-former Japanese PM) lets beat coalition bugs/O my lord we're not worthy of your axe/Let it fall onthose who don't pay disarmament tax.

``Let there be fairness/Let there be equality/We want a cracker-free world... Give up your options/Give up your pretensions/You can then be in the queue...

``Excellence, freedom, equity and prosperity/Intertwined for mankind in its entirety/Frontiers of the mind and spirit all will realise'/When both East and West meet to talk and compromise...

``This is what ARF/This is what PMC/Should seek to achieve/O Hindustani, O Aseani/We Hindustani with our partners many...''