US pushes India to take bigger Asian role

[CONNAN]

FT.com / Asia-Pacific - US pushes India to take bigger Asian role

By James Lamont and Anjli Raval in New Delhi and Michiyo Nakamoto in Tokyo

Published: October 25 2010 17:54 | Last updated: October 25 2010 17:54

The US is pushing India to lift its role in Asia as one of the continent’s leading democracies and largest economies at a time when the region is becoming increasingly anxious about a more assertive China.

Ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India early next month, senior US government officials said on Monday they wanted India to take a “more active” role outside of its immediate south Asian region, in trade and political and security co-operatio

“We view India as an east Asian power,” said one official. “India is not limited to the context of its immediate neighbourhood.”

India has so far not been included in emerging east Asian institutions, which loosely bind China, Japan and South Korea with south-east Asian nations and the US and Australia.

The US comments coincided with a visit by Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, to Japan on the first leg of a “Look East” tour that will also take him to Vietnam and Malaysia this week.

Mr Singh and Naoto Kan, Japan’s prime minister, concluded negotiations on a economic partnership agreement, paving the way for increased Japanese investment in the fast growing Indian economy.

Indian leaders have expressed fears the country is being hemmed in by Beijing’s expanding political and trade ties with Pakistan, Burma, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

“Certainly China is a topic of active discussion between our governments,” said a US official. “We don’t have identical concerns.”

New Delhi has also aired its worries about Washington’s relationship with Beijing. It was upset last year when a communiqué issued during Mr Obama’s visit to Beijing offered China a role in south Asia.

New Delhi is particularly sensitive about China’s ambitions in nuclear-armed Pakistan, its rising maritime might and border disputes in Arunachal Pradesh, India’s north-eastern state, and Kashmir.

US officials said inviting India to boost its role in Asia was not an attempt to rebalance Washington’s relationship with New Delhi and Beijing. But they said that India would have a larger part in Asian regional forums like the East Asia summit.

Although India is not expected to join the US as a defence ally, India has become the US’s most frequent military exercise partner, conducting 50 exercises over the past eight years. US officials are keen to develop the inter-operability of India’s military hardware to allow support in anti-piracy, peace-keeping and humanitarian operations.

The US describes its relationship with India as having transformed “exponentially” under the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and now Mr Obama.

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[Jackdaws]

Ghanta yaar. America can push all it wants and India can prod all it wants. India will chart its own course - it is not about to become an American ally at the cost of friendly relations with China.

 

[r3alist]

Ghanta yaar. America can push all it wants and India can prod all it wants. India will chart its own course - it is not about to become an American ally at the cost of friendly relations with China.

but is it?


this is the biggest question for me (i dont know about you?) - is there a stick behind the american carrots for india

 

[Abhishek_]

it will be more beneficial if we work on solving our issues with our immediate neighbors. I for one will always support closer ties with Pakistan and China. . .We have much more in common with them, we are suffering from very similar issues, have similar perspective on global issues

 

[Jackdaws]

but is it?


this is the biggest question for me (i dont know about you?) - is there a stick behind the american carrots for india

The stick comes into play only if there is one source for the carrots. Indian leaders - whatever their flaws (and there are many) have thankfully not become overly dependent on one country. I think that is by chance, not choice - because India became a de facto Soviet ally. It was like beggar depending on a slightly better off beggar. Now that those tough days are behind it - India is not going to become either economically or militarily dependent on one nation. It also has to do with the psyche of the Brits taking over the country after coming the nation as traders.

 

[somebozo]

For all this India needs to be able to atleast build decent infrastrcutr without its rival assitance.

 

[Jackdaws]

For all this India needs to be able to atleast build decent infrastrcutr without its rival assitance.

I think foreign assistance is critical. From what I understand, the Japanese are building the Bombay-Delhi corridor.

Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor :: An Indo-Japan Mega Infrastructure Project

The Japanese helped with the Delhi metro too. What is essentially touted as India's engine on which most Indian diesel cars run is an Italian Fiat engine. Malaysian firm is helping build the monorail in Bombay. Korean firms like Hyundai are making India their hub. So dependency on foreigners is critical to develop our hopeless infrastructure - the idea is not to be dependent on one country.

 

[Abhishek_]

For all this India needs to be able to atleast build decent infrastrcutr without its rival assitance.

bozo, we have the technical knowledge but not enough manpower to execute so many different projects. If china is willing to help then by all means GOI should allow it. In fact it will foster better communication and deeper understanding between the governments. Interdependence and integration is the only way to create long term peace

 

[kashith]

For all this India needs to be able to atleast build decent infrastrcutr without its rival assitance.

sitting in riyadh, it is easy to criticize India, apne mulk ke liye khud kya kar rahe ho? first answer this.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

For all this India needs to be able to atleast build decent infrastrcutr without its rival assitance.

Its planning to spend a Trillion on Infrastructure.

 

[Jackdaws]

bozo, we have the technical knowledge but not enough manpower to execute so many different projects. If china is willing to help then by all means GOI should allow it. In fact it will foster better communication and deeper understanding between the governments. Interdependence and integration is the only way to create long term peace

There is no dearth of manpower. But there is a dearth of skilled manpower as well as of technical know-how - not in engineering, but in project management.

 

[Abhishek_]

There is no dearth of manpower. But there is a dearth of skilled manpower as well as of technical know-how - not in engineering, but in project management.

that's what I wanted to say..thanks for putting it more accurately

 

[somebozo]

China is and will remain a dominant force in Asia..what india will develop into is formidable competitior..

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

When Russian and US interest will collide in Central Asia or far East let see whose side India be

 

[Water Car Engineer]

China is and will remain a dominant force in Asia..what india will develop into is formidable competitior..

Thanks for sayin that.

But if any conflict happens. India should stay far away, and Pakistan.