gubbi
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2009
- Messages
- 4,536
- Reaction score
- 1
- Country
- Location
The US wanted to have good relations with India. It was India's xenophobia, a fear of US domination replacing British colonialsm, that drove India to be not just non-aligned, but aggressively non-aligned and given to poking a stick in Uncle Sam's eye at the UN and elsewhere whenever India could. And the turnabout is India's turnabout. India finally allowed foreign businesses, including US businesses, to operate in India with reasonable conditions. This is what has allowed India to attract foreign capital and commerce. The USA was always there willing to be India's friend. India was the one who wanted no western friends.
If that was the case, how is that India managed to maintain excellent relations with the British and the French - both of whom were literally kicked out of the sub-continent?
Opening up the economy was a different case. India back in 1991 faced financial crises due to which India had to mortgage Gold to UK - Bank of England, to obtain cash reserves to run the economy. That was the eye opener. With Dr Manmohan Singh at the helm of Finance Ministry, the liberalization of Indian economy came about. It was US under Clinton who started courting India and her markets aggressively after the liberalization.