India Wednesday described as unjustified the imposition of sanctions by the United States on two Indian firms for transfer of some chemicals to Iran and asserted that such transfer did not violate international obligations or regulations.
External affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna, while commenting on reports of imposition of sanctions by the US on two Indian firms -- Sabero Organics Gujarat Ltd and Sandhya Organics Ltd -- under the US-Iran Proliferation Act said India's commitment to preventing onward proliferation was "second to none".
He said India is working with the international community, including the US, as a partner against proliferation.
"Our preliminary assessment is that the transfer of such chemicals is not in violation of our regulations or our international obligations. In this context, the imposition of sanctions by the US on our firms, which in our view have not acted in violation of our laws or regulations, is not justified," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said India had instituted a rigorous system of export controls and its track record in this regard is well known.
Referring to the removal of sanctions by the US on Indian scientist Dr C Surender, the spokesman said vindicated India's position on this matter.
Since the imposition of sanctions in September 2004, the government had maintained that this had no justification.
Accordingly, India had urged the US government to review the issue and withdraw the sanctions.
He also said that sanctions on another scientist, Dr Y S R Prasad, should be removed.
The US government had, in September 2004, imposed sanctions on the two Indian scientists for being involved in transfer of chemicals to Iran.
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