India to join U.S. Container Security Initiative
India will join CSI, and will also be allowed to have Indian officials in U.S. ports to examine India-bound cargo
We reported last week that India’s cabinet had postponed a vote on what was supposed to take on India’s joining the Container Security Initiative (CSI), a DHS-sponsored project which would allow U.S. personnel to inspect all U.S.-bound cargo from Jawaharlal Nehru Port. India wanted to clarify the relationship between joining CSI and joining a nuclear non-proliferation agreement which the United States insists on as part of the U.S. relaxation of attitude toward India’s nuclear weapons activities. Two senior Indian officials were in Washington last week and were satisfied with Washington’s explanation of the two agreements. Following their report, the Indian government agreed to join CSI.
A few dozen countries are already members of CSI, but India is the only one to insist — and receive — this concession: In exchange for having U.S. officials in Indian ports monitoring U.S.-bound cargo, India would be allowed to station Indian officials in U.S. ports to monitor India-bound cargo.
