Indo-US relations under Obama administration
When Barack Obama was declared the US President-elect in November, India lauded the victory and exuded confidence that Indo-US relations will scale newer heights.
Looking Back
It was the end of the Cold War that put India in the good books of the US. The relationship started gaining momentum under Bill Clinton and accelerated under George Bush. The signing of the nuclear deal last year took the bilateral relation to its apogee. However, two months after Obama took over the White Office, there are mixed reactions over the relationship.
The K word
One of the biggest concerns is the US intervention in the Kashimr issue, where Obama had hinted on employing Bill Clinton as a special envoy. While India has always maintained it is a bilateral issue and will be resolved without any outside interference, the fact that it is a 60 year old persistent problem does not help. US does not seem very confident that the two countries can amicably resolve it on their own and so will put pressure on India to agree to US intervention. How would India react to it then?
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Obama is likely to pursue the non-proliferation treaty before US aids Indian civilian nuclear facilities. This will put India in a tight spot as the treaty would restrict India from indulging in any nuclear tests. What would India do then?
Outsourcing
India is very worried about Obama’s policies regarding outsourcing. The USD 787 billion stimulus plan which makes it very difficult for US companies to outsource work, or the recent opposition to bring in nurses from other countries to fill the gap in US are doing nothing to ease India’s worries. What is in store for India?
Free Trade
Where will US’s insistence on a free trade agreement with India, where the latter has been opposing the huge subsidies US government has been providing to agriculture, lead to?
These concerns are genuine. In a bid to revive US economy, the Obama administration will get aggressive and take decisions which they feel deem fit. India needs to watch out for every such move, cautiously oppose few if necessary and take decisions accordingly. Meanwhile, US needs to adopt a softer stand. After all, it cannot ignore India’s growth as an economic power and cordial strategic relations with India is bound to mutually benefit both the nations.
