WHEN India tested its nuclear devices in the Pokhran desert this year, the Australian reaction was as swift as it was vicious. Indian army personnel at defence colleges Down Under were physically hauled out of classrooms and asked to pack their bags, says a source at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. "Some of the actions they took were unbelievable," said the source. Though there are conflicting reports about the veracity of the story, the army officers have been unavailable for comment. Bilateral defence ties are on hold and Canberra has suspended all senior-level meetings. The MEA, in turn, has warned Indian MPs going to New Zealand in October for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to keep off Australia lest they suffer humiliation.