INDIA COOL TO LIMITED U.S. SUPERCOMPUTER OFFER
Indian officials responded coolly  to
a reported U.S. Offer to sell India a supercomputer less
powerful than it sought, saying it showed Washington's lack of
sensitivity to Indian concerns.
    Asked about a New York Times report that the United States
had offered New Delhi a supercomputer generations behind the
type it requested, an official told Reuters, "If the U.S. is
doing that they have not been sensitive to Indian concerns."
    He declined to confirm the report directly but said India
had received an offer of a supercomputer from the United States
"and we are considering it."
    Sounding disappointed and dismayed he added, "We do not wish
at this stage to say whether it is the computer we were looking
for, or a more or less powerful model."
    The official, who asked to remain anonymous, added: "An
announcement will be made in 10 days to two weeks time."
    India has sought for more than two years to buy an advanced
supercomputer primarily for monsoon forecasting. But the sale
has been held up by U.S. Security concerns prompted by India's
closeness to the Soviet Union, its chief arms supplier.
 Reuter
