What Obama means for India

Manmohan and Obama need to build a personal chemistryWhen Barack Hussein Obama occupies the Oval office on January 20, 2009, he may go there with a strong India connection that has guided him through his formative years as a freshman senatora portrait of Mahatma Gandhi that hangs in his Senate office.For India, the change of guard in Washington comes at a juncture when Indo-US relations have undergone a seismic shift. The cold war divide is no longer there and with the nuclear deal in the bag the two countries have begun to trust each other. There is also a growing recognition of their respective roles in the global arena.While his predecessor George W. Bush may get the credit for rewriting the India script, it is expected that Obama will add substance to it. And he has the right credentials to do it. He brings to the table a wholesome menu of substantive ideas, coupled with his out-of-box thinking on issues like terrorism and international security, which is pivotal for democracies like India and for nation states keen on coexistence in a world free from violence. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;} The Oval agendaOn terrorism: May push for stronger action against countries fomenting terrorism, has warned Pakistan he may attack terror camps if it fails to act. This will help India too.On nuclear issue: Will implement the Indo-US nuclear deal, may press for binding agreements like CTBT and FMCT.On Kashmir: Would want an early resolution, may appoint a special envoy but unlikely to force a solution.On visa regime: Expected to increase H1-B visas that may benefit Indian professionals.On defence co-operation: Defence exchanges may grow and he is likely to seek Indian co-operation to stabilise Afghanistan.Obama realises that Indias success story and its geopolitical importance in Asia is hard to ignore, and it was visible during the campaign. In a blueprint for South Asia, Obama said, India is a natural strategic partner of the US??.South Block too, is upbeat at Obamas victory. We welcome his victory. We have excellent relations with the US and he has a strong bipartisan support for the relationship. I have no doubt that under his presidency bilateral relationship would steadily improve,?? External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told India Today.What does this victory mean for India? India has always been concerned with the Democratic Presidentelect going into overdrive over nuclear non-proliferation. Sources say, when a senior official from the Prime Ministers Office met Obama last year to seek his support on the nuclear deal, he mentioned that he wanted to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. But, sources say, Obama, who overcame his initial reservations to support the deal, may actually be on the same wavelength with his goal to pursue a world free from nuclear weapons. He may, in fact, go a step further and may extend the partnership to cooperation on alternative energy and commercial engagement. An added advantage for India is the new vice-president-elect Joe Biden, who played a key role in pushing the nuclear deal. Vice-president Biden and a number of Obamas senior advisers are friends of India, I am sure they will consider building a stronger relationship with India a top priority for this new administration,?? William S. Cohen, former US secretary of defence, told India Today.Seasoned diplomats believe that the new democratic regime will be good for India, Over two-thirds of the India caucus members in the US Congress are from the Democratic Party and the relationship will naturally grow. They may have a stronger policy on nuclear non-proliferation and push for binding treaties but it wouldnt be directed at India alone,?? feels Naresh Chandra, former ambassador to the US. On the critical climate change issue, experts believe India may see some greater pressure to cut a deal before the Copenhagen conference on climate change in 2009. During the campaign, Obama-Biden also promised to enter into a dialogue with India and China with regard to reducing emission levels.Multilateral negotiations on climate change will certainly get a boost, but knowing his rational set of advisers I dont think he would only put pressure on the developing world, without any concessions from the developed world,?? says R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the UNs Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change.Obama has already said it is imperative that Washington and Delhi work together to combat common threats of the 21st century, like terrorism. What they feel Obama can do for IndiaPranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister"I have no doubt that in his presidency, bilateral relations would steadily improve."William S. Cohen, Former US Secretary of Defence"I expect a continuation of the pro-India agenda initiated by the Clinton Administration."Naresh Chandra, Former Indian Ambassador to US"He may press for treaties like CTBTand FMCTbut that wouldnt be directed at India."R.K. Pachauri, Chairman, IPCC"Climate change talks will get a boost, and he may be willing to address Indias concerns."Shedding the unilateralist approach of Bush will win him greater friends in India on this count. Besides, if he is serious about getting rid of terror swamps wherever they exist, this may actually be the first bold step towards hitting at the epicentre of terrorism. While some discomfort was felt about his statement about an early resolution of the Kashmir issue, and there is a talk of Bill Clinton being appointed as a special envoy on Kashmir, it is unlikely that he would try to force a solution on India in a transformed strategic scenario. Early pointers indicate that on issues like terrorism, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Obama is willing to experiment with new ideas. The Indian leadership would also need to take the cue to sensitise him about the challenges in the region which endanger global security and to persuade him to take a zero-tolerance approach on terrorism.In his larger foreign policy priorities, Obama may focus his energies on Afghanistan which is in consonance with what India has been trying to do through its goodwill diplomacy.Even though much will depend on who will man his key cabinet posts, there may be some redlines on issues such as Security Council expansion, and adhering to a fissile material cutoff treaty (FMCT). The honeymoon phase of bilateral relationship may have begun under a Republican administration, where the foundations of a truly strategic relationship were laid, but under Obama it is expected to bloom further.The Obama nationThe other face of ObamaChange we can work withFull coverage: America Votes '08 Blog: Is it the U.S. of O?Videos Watch Obama's victory speech John McCain concedes defeat From India Today ArchivesOct 31, 2008: Hope and honourOct 27, 2008: The Indian factorJuly 9, 2007: Banking on IndiansPublished By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 6, 2008--- ENDS ---

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