India denies nuclear cooperation with Israel

India has denied that it has nuclear cooperation programs with Israel. Minister of press and culture at India's US embassy Shav Mukherjee said that allegations of such cooperation are "absurd."

Mukherjee told ArabicNews.com that the nature of Indian-Israeli cooperation is limited to non-military areas such as the agricultural field and the area of electronics.

Mukherjee categorized the allegations that India and Israel were going to strike Pakistani nuclear installations as "an attempt to spread propaganda."

ArabicNews.com was told by Pakistani officials who requested anonymity that their previous statements regarding an imminent strike against Pakistan was limited to India and based on "credible reports," and had nothing to do with Israel as some have reported.

Mukherjee described Indian - Arab relations as historic and said they are at their "pinnacle," adding that India's support for the Palestinian cause is second to none.

The minister said that the visit of Indian Chief of Staff General Malik to Israel was within the scope of "learning visits" and is normal in the course of relations. He denied that there is military cooperation between India and Israel and said there "will be no transfer of (nuclear) technology." The minister did not deny that the head of the Indian nuclear program made two visits to Israel, but expressed lack of any knowledge of this issue.