INDIA'S CRYOGENIC ENGINE & A US SENATOR

Back in the 90s, US, to take control of Russia, proposed a $24 Billion aid package to Russia. Russia was in dire straits. At around the same time, India was trying to get Cryogenic Engines from Russia. The value of the deal? $250 million.

These engines were crucial for Indian Space program. especially to graduate from the PSLVs to GSLVs.

President Bush was OK with it. But a democrat senator put in an amendment which stated that IF Russia sold the cryogenic engine to India, this aid package would be scuttled!

Russia badly needed this aid. It had no choice but to back down from the deal it already had with India.
In the same period, China was taking technology from Russia by the bushels. The US, indeed this Senator, of course preferred to look the other way.

Not just that, there were numerous attempts of Sabotage of the Indian cryogenic program by some 'interested' foreign agencies. It took years, but India developed its own solution, lynchpining on the little help it had gotten from Russia before the deal was scuttled.

The senator that scuttled the deal was one JOE BIDEN.
The whole issue was covered ina 1992 article of the LA times.
Not surprising though all attempts by me to attach the link to the article were disallowed by @Twitter
I WONDER WHY