The Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva ended on June 28 with India refusing to budge from its decision not to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in its present form. This provoked severe condemnation from the West, which portrayed India as a stumbling-block to the successful completion of the test ban treaty. Despite being isolated, there was an across-the-board domestic consensus on India staying outside the treaty and keeping its nuclear options open. India is unlikely to change its stand when the CD reassembles on July 29.
