DATE=5/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233049
TITLE=INDIA / REACT LONG-ONLY
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  INDIAN REACTION TO THE LATEST NUCLEAR TESTS BY PAKISTAN 
IS LOW-KEY.  A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS NEW DELHI WILL  
NOT CHANGE ITS POLICY ON A VOLUNTARY MORATORIUM ON ITS OWN 
FURTHER TESTING.  ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI.

TEXT:  SOON AFTER SATURDAY'S TESTS, A SENIOR AIDE TO INDIA'S 
PRIME MINISTER, JASWANT SINGH, TOLD PRIVATELY-OWNED STAR 
TELEVISION, THAT THERE WAS NO FEELING OF EMERGENCY OR 
APPREHENSION IN INDIA.  HE SAID NEW DELHI WAS NEITHER SURPRISED 
NOR DISTURBED BY ISLAMABAD'S LATEST TESTS.

MR. SINGH SAYS INDIA WILL  NOT  BE PROVOKED TO CONDUCT MORE TESTS
AND WOULD ADHERE TO ITS TWO WEEK OLD MORATORIUM.  HE MAINTAINS 
THAT THE NUCLEAR TESTS BY THE TWO COUNTRIES THIS MONTH WOULD NOT 
TRIGGER AN ARMS RACE ON THE SUBCONTINENT. 

MR. SINGH SAYS NEW DELHI WILL NOT CONDEMN ISLAMABAD'S TESTS 
BECAUSE IT RECOGNIZES PAKISTAN'S EQUAL AND LEGITIMATE SECURITY 
CONCERNS IN THE REGION.  HE ALSO REITERATED PRIME MINISTER ATAL 
BEHARI VAJPAYEE'S OFFER TO DISCUSS ALL ISSUES WITH ISLAMABAD.

JUST HOURS BEFORE NEWS OF THE LATEST NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN 
PAKISTAN, THE PRIME MINISTER SOUGHT TO EASE SOME OF THE SHARP 
RHETORIC BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.  SPEAKING TO A POLITICAL 
GATHERING SATURDAY, MR. VAJPAYEE SAID INDIA WANTS TO LIVE IN 
PEACE WITH ITS NEIGHBORS.  HE SAID NEW DELHI WOULD NEVER ENTER 
ANOTHER COUNTRY TO DISRUPT ITS PEACE, BUT ADDED, NEITHER WOULD 
INDIA ALLOW ITS OWN PEACE TO BE DISTURBED.

NEB/AP/TM/JO

30-May-98 7:50 AM EDT (1150 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.