Diplomacy Young Man in a Hurry

The security precautions that will be in effect in Washington this week for an official visit by Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi will be among the tightest on record. Out of fear, for example, of Sikh terrorists, who last October assassinated Rajiv's mother Indira, then India's Prime Minister, the Administration ordered a "postponement," beginning about five weeks ago, in the processing of U.S. visas for all Sikhs until Gandhi leaves the U.S.

Because the U.S.-Indian relationship has rarely been free of tension -- the two countries have frequently managed to irritate each other -- Rajiv and his U.S. hosts will have a great deal to discuss. The youthful 40-year-old Prime Minister will no doubt raise the subject of U.S. arms sales ($1.6 billion over five years) to Pakistan, India's longtime foe, arguing that so large a supply of sophisticated weaponry poses a military threat to his country. U.S. officials will contend that American support for Pakistan must be seen within the context of the Soviet occupation of neighboring Afghanistan, and that Pakistan does not menace India, a vastly larger and more powerful nation. "No one in Pakistan today would dream that it was possible to go to war with India again," said one U.S. diplomat last week. Gandhi, who will also launch a Festival of India in Washington to acquaint Americans with the richness of Indian culture, will press for increased commerce (the U.S. is already India's largest trading partner), particularly in high-technology items, and for greater U.S. investment in his country. Finally, the Administration will remind the Prime Minister that it vigorously opposes nuclear development with potential weapons application, be it in Pakistan or India (neither of which is a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty). U.S. officials are expected to point to Washington's warning to Pakistan that nuclear progress beyond a "certain threshold" would trigger a cutoff in U.S. arms sales.

Before his departure for the U.S., aboard his special aircraft bound from Bombay for New Delhi, Gandhi discussed international and domestic affairs with TIME's K.K. Sharma. Excerpts from the interview:

On Indian-U.S. relations. There is a lot we can do together because basically we stand for the same things: freedom, democracy, independence. We have to see how we can work together to achieve them. There are certain areas of disagreement, mainly relating to our part of the world, the subcontinent, the Indian Ocean. I see the visit primarily to improve understanding at the top. From that everything else can flow.

On Indian-Soviet relations. They have been good for a very long time now, and I see them improving. The Soviets have helped us out in tricky situations. I am not saying they are the only ones to have done so. The U.S. has also helped us, especially in agriculture, food aid and technology.

On the Soviet presence in Afghanistan. They are there at the invitation of the Karmal regime. Obviously they won't leave as long as Karmal feels he needs them for security reasons. The first step (toward a Soviet withdrawal) will have to be some kind of guarantee of noninterference by the Mujahedin from across the (Pakistani) border.

On relations with Pakistan. Very difficult to assess. We have acted very positively. We have received a mixed reaction from Pakistan -- sometimes hot, sometimes cold.

On Pakistan's nuclear program. We don't want to build a bomb. We are very clear about that. We could have built one long ago, and we unilaterally decided not to do that. But we have to accept the realities. Pakistan attacked India without provocation on three occasions. Pakistan has a very large nuclear facility. The dangers of proliferation very definitely worry us.

On Sikh restiveness in Punjab. We now have the Akali Dal (the main Sikh political party) taking a reasonably positive stand. It has condemned terrorism, and I think this is good. We have taken a lot of steps to help Sikh moderates come forward. By and large, I think there is a realization among Sikhs that we want to solve their problems and end the turmoil in Punjab.

On the parliamentary opposition. We are doing our best to see that our massive majority in Parliament does not make the opposition feel oppressed. We are keeping it fully informed on every major decision. If it raises relevant points, we are willing to adjust our position.

On the tight security around him. One gets used to it. It puts restrictions on me and on people coming to see me. I think it's a temporary phase. One has to go through with it.

On problems facing India. Politically, Punjab. Economically, birth control. We have reduced the population growth rate to 1.8% from 2.2%, but that is not good enough. We are trying to put more energy into traditional birth control programs, but the ultimate answer is better education. On the international scene, disarmament is a major challenge. Closer to home, there is a need for better relations among the countries of South Asia.

On preparing India for the 21st century. We have a substantial infrastructure, a large supply of technically trained manpower, a sizable management pool. In the area of technology, we have moved substantially ahead, and now we are ready to move ahead much faster and catch up with the more advanced countries. It requires a change in our attitude, a change in our educational system, a change in our industry so that it becomes more competitive. We must see to it that, without causing unemployment, we can (prepare) the next generation to deal with the new technology. And we have to achieve that within the next few years in order to get a return as soon as possible.

On his accomplishments. The most important thing is that, despite a major destabilization attempt by the assassination of our Prime Minister, the country has held together -- in fact, has become stronger and more united.