Article

2005-05-23 Afghanistan/South Asia

Bush's India Gambit: Grand Partnership between the Democracies

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Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-23 14:56|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Bush's thinking is shaped by India's democratic values in contrast with China's authoritarianism. Its strategic essence is the US view that India as a second Asian giant, capitalist, multicultural and democratic, will exert a gravitational pull that must limit China's aspiration as a future hegemon and help to balance its rise. This is a new long-run US position (and it doesn't assume that India can overtake China).

It should test how far India's elite has transcended the Nehruian diplomatic legacy. It seems, however, that Singh will accept the US overtures and India will negotiate to get the best deals possible. By saying yes to the US, India is hardly selling its soul. It is not being asked to become an ally similar to Japan or Australia since that would be impossible anyway.

India thinks it can manage this US embrace on its own terms. It knows that China and the world will have to take India more seriously and India will have to give China assurances it is not joining any US "containment of China" strategy. All this is already under way.

Singh's media aide Sanjaya Baru says: "India is an ancient civilisation and has a mind of its own on each issue. But our views are moving in parallel with the US and Anglo-Saxon world." Baru sees a new realism in India's policy that dates from the 1991 economic reform era with growth now running at 6 per cent to 7 per cent each year.

Ironic that Phwance is making nice with authoritarian free-rider China. Or maybe not so ironic after all.

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-23 15:01|| 2005-05-23 15:01|| Front Page Top

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