National Events in May 1998
1st May
The Konkan Railway, running for 760-km, is dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister, Mr. Vajpayee.
India and Peru sign agreements on space technology and agriculture during the visit of the President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, there.
4th May
India is placed on the U.S. Special 309 watch list.
5th May
Mr. Yashwant Sinha and Mr. Madan Lal Khurana, Union Ministers, are discharged in the hawala case.
8th May
The Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, gets the Gandhi award for 1998.
9th May
Mr. Kirit Raval is appointed Solicitor-General of India.
11th May
India explodes three nuclear devices at Pokhran, Rajasthan.
The U.N. Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, regrets the tests.
Russia says the nuclear tests will have no effect on defence co- operation between the two countries.
Pakistan declares that it reserves the right to take appropriate steps for its security following the Indian nuclear tests.
Trishul, short-range triple role missile, test-fired successfully.
12th May
Mr. Vajpayee writes to Western leaders on nuclear tests.
The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, asks India to sign CTBT.
Germany freezes aid to India.
China denies crossing the Line of Actual Control, and says the Indian nuclear tests are detrimental to peace.
Mr. Yeltsin feels let down by the Indian nuclear tests but says the Indo-Russian ties will not be hit.
Canada asks India to renounce n-arms.
13th May
India conducts two more nuclear tests at Pokhran. The U.S. slaps sanctions. The Prime Minister says India will face down sanctions.
The Japanese Government suspends grants to India.
Russia will oppose sanctions against India.
The World Bank cancels India donors meet.
14th May
India will not sign CTBT unconditionally, says the Prime Minister.
Japan imposes more sanctions on India.
The U.N. Security Council strongly deplores the nuclear tests.
15th May
The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, is against isolating India on the nuclear tests.
Russia offers more n-subs to India.
Loans to India will continue, says the World Bank.
Sitar maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar, receives the 1998 Polar music award.
Germany protests against the Indian nuclear tests.
16th May
The U.S. rejects India's claim of nuclear status.
A new Chinese missile is to target India.
India rejects China's charges on n-tests.
G-8 countries urge India to sign CTBT.
17th May
Mr. Clinton wants India and Pakistan to sign CTBT.
18th May
India is for talks with the U.S. on the nuclear tests.
Pakistan seeks the U.S. mediation on Kashmir.
India may take the U.S. to WTO.
19th May
Nuclear deal with India will stay, says Russia.
Brazil breaks off the nuclear energy pact with India.
The U.S. Congress' anti-India move faces resistance.
The EU is not for isolating India.
20th May
Mr. Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary-General, asks India to sign CTBT.
21st May
India declares a moratorium on nuclear testing.
22nd May
The AIADMK Minister, Mr. R. K. Kumar, quits the Vajpayee Ministry on ``health grounds''.
Mr. Indrajit Gupta is to head poll panel reforms.
23rd May
Mr. L. K. Advani, Home Minister, is to look after J&K affairs.
The Russian President, Mr. Boris Yeltsin, discusses the post- nuclear test situation with Mr. Vajpayee.
26th May
The European Union says it will delay loans to India in protest against its nuclear tests.
The economist, Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati, has been awarded the 1998 Freedom Prize of the Max Schmidmeiny Foundation.
Bodo leaders stick to their demand for a separate State.
The Indian scientist, Mr. S. Chandrasekar, has been selected for the Niels Bohr-UNESCO gold medal.
27th May
Mr. Vajpayee says India is willing to sign a no-first-use agreement on nuclear weapons.
28th May
India takes retaliatory measures against Australia for its unilateral action.
The President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, says there is no surprise in Pakistan conducting nuclear tests.
29th May
Mr. Vajpayee says India is open to a dialogue with Pakistan.
31st May
The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, says Pakistan's nuclear tests are no match to India's.
India rejects mediation on issues with Pakistan, reiterates its commitment to address outstanding issues bilaterally.
An Indian diplomat, Mr. B. R. Rawat, is assaulted by a Pakistani private security guard in Islamabad.
The Bihar Governor, Mr. Sunder Singh Bhandari, meets the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, and tells him that the situation in the State is ``a matter of concern''.