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Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
John Kerry made his first official visit to India in the capacity of the US Secretary of State to attend the US-India Strategic Dialogue. Although the US-India relationship has always been stable, it has suffered from lack of attention from both sides. India, which is becoming a rising global economy and is already the third largest Asian economy, has always been a frontline partner of Washington in trade and investment. However, New Delhi has been preoccupied with domestic issues, which prevented it from giving due attention to its ties with the US. Kerrys visit will remove any qualms that might have jeopardised this relationship. Kerry also announced that US Vice President Joe Biden would visit India in July to further cement the relationship between the two countries. It would be a momentous occasion for India to host Vice President Biden, which should help erase some doubts that New Delhi has about its relationship with Washington.
Although it would take days or perhaps months before the real outcome of the visit comes to the surface, it is important to understand the significance of the US-India relationship. First, Indias western neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan will eternally remain a foreign policy concern. In Pakistan, the new regime of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will require some time before Islamabad can resume talks with New Delhi. In Afghanistan, the game will change once the US-led NATO troops leave the country in 2014. Washington has been influencing the decision-making in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and therefore, India would keep a close eye on how the US implements its policies in these two countries.
Moreover, New Delhi is concerned about its interests in Afghanistan as India has already invested nearly two billion dollars in Afghanistans rehabilitation and reconstructions efforts and might need some kind of a US presence there to keep issues under control. If Afghanistan and Pakistan are major South Asian countries, then Iran, a neighbour of South Asia, will also be on Kerrys agenda and India would have its apprehensions over Hassan Rouhanis rise to the presidency in the recent Iranian elections. Furthermore, India is fostering trade relations with Iran, which has been supplying oil to New Delhi. The regime of Rouhani might bring some alteration in Iran-India relations, and who better to oversee the ties than the US. India also needs Washingtons support as it plans to use Iran as a trade route to Central Asia and Afghanistan. Moreover, India will closely observe how the US reacts to Rouhanis victory and how Washington tackles its relations with Tehran now that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is history. In addition, Kerry was hopeful about Indias decision to reduce dependency on Iranian oil. This signifies that the US does not want India to have trade ties with Iran; however, located in the same region, India cannot isolate itself from Iran either.
India also has to compete with China, which is already a global economic giant and has brought most regions of the world under its economic wing. Any policy shift between the US and China will inadvertently affect India-US and India-China ties. Beijing, therefore, will be closely watching Kerrys visit because any effort made by India to bolster its relationship with the US can shift the power balance in Asia.
During his visit, Kerry also held talks with Indian officials over Indias quest to use renewable energy. The US has already pledged one-fifth of the financing needed to develop Indias solar power sector where the latter has installed nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar power in the last three years.
Prior to Kerrys visit, analysts suggested that the US and India might be willing to close their joint civil nuclear deal signed in 2008 between the then US President George Bush and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The US, however, is eager to finalise the agreements on nuclear reactors and resolve all financial issues to begin nuclear commerce at the earliest. Washington might have sent Kerry to work upon this agreement with his Indian counterpart and it could be a possibility that Vice President Biden would visit India for the same reason.
Moreover, India because of its defence policy and defence budget also deems the US as a major ally, as the former is willing to secure deals with American defence manufacturers in a bid to strengthen its military arsenal. India is gearing up to modernise its armed forces and has plans to invest nearly $ 100 billion by 2022. In the field of space exploration, India and the US moved as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced to assist the latters Mars Orbiter Mission through its Deep Space Network facilities.
Kerrys visit to India is nothing short of a milestone. Islamabad, Kabul and Beijing must have had their attention focused on the visit and on the future of the US-India relationship. With India garnering US support, the South Asian, and perhaps the entire Asian region will experience a power shift in the years to come.
John Kerry made his first official visit to India in the capacity of the US Secretary of State to attend the US-India Strategic Dialogue. Although the US-India relationship has always been stable, it has suffered from lack of attention from both sides. India, which is becoming a rising global economy and is already the third largest Asian economy, has always been a frontline partner of Washington in trade and investment. However, New Delhi has been preoccupied with domestic issues, which prevented it from giving due attention to its ties with the US. Kerrys visit will remove any qualms that might have jeopardised this relationship. Kerry also announced that US Vice President Joe Biden would visit India in July to further cement the relationship between the two countries. It would be a momentous occasion for India to host Vice President Biden, which should help erase some doubts that New Delhi has about its relationship with Washington.
Although it would take days or perhaps months before the real outcome of the visit comes to the surface, it is important to understand the significance of the US-India relationship. First, Indias western neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan will eternally remain a foreign policy concern. In Pakistan, the new regime of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will require some time before Islamabad can resume talks with New Delhi. In Afghanistan, the game will change once the US-led NATO troops leave the country in 2014. Washington has been influencing the decision-making in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and therefore, India would keep a close eye on how the US implements its policies in these two countries.
Moreover, New Delhi is concerned about its interests in Afghanistan as India has already invested nearly two billion dollars in Afghanistans rehabilitation and reconstructions efforts and might need some kind of a US presence there to keep issues under control. If Afghanistan and Pakistan are major South Asian countries, then Iran, a neighbour of South Asia, will also be on Kerrys agenda and India would have its apprehensions over Hassan Rouhanis rise to the presidency in the recent Iranian elections. Furthermore, India is fostering trade relations with Iran, which has been supplying oil to New Delhi. The regime of Rouhani might bring some alteration in Iran-India relations, and who better to oversee the ties than the US. India also needs Washingtons support as it plans to use Iran as a trade route to Central Asia and Afghanistan. Moreover, India will closely observe how the US reacts to Rouhanis victory and how Washington tackles its relations with Tehran now that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is history. In addition, Kerry was hopeful about Indias decision to reduce dependency on Iranian oil. This signifies that the US does not want India to have trade ties with Iran; however, located in the same region, India cannot isolate itself from Iran either.
India also has to compete with China, which is already a global economic giant and has brought most regions of the world under its economic wing. Any policy shift between the US and China will inadvertently affect India-US and India-China ties. Beijing, therefore, will be closely watching Kerrys visit because any effort made by India to bolster its relationship with the US can shift the power balance in Asia.
During his visit, Kerry also held talks with Indian officials over Indias quest to use renewable energy. The US has already pledged one-fifth of the financing needed to develop Indias solar power sector where the latter has installed nearly 1,000 megawatts of solar power in the last three years.
Prior to Kerrys visit, analysts suggested that the US and India might be willing to close their joint civil nuclear deal signed in 2008 between the then US President George Bush and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The US, however, is eager to finalise the agreements on nuclear reactors and resolve all financial issues to begin nuclear commerce at the earliest. Washington might have sent Kerry to work upon this agreement with his Indian counterpart and it could be a possibility that Vice President Biden would visit India for the same reason.
Moreover, India because of its defence policy and defence budget also deems the US as a major ally, as the former is willing to secure deals with American defence manufacturers in a bid to strengthen its military arsenal. India is gearing up to modernise its armed forces and has plans to invest nearly $ 100 billion by 2022. In the field of space exploration, India and the US moved as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced to assist the latters Mars Orbiter Mission through its Deep Space Network facilities.
Kerrys visit to India is nothing short of a milestone. Islamabad, Kabul and Beijing must have had their attention focused on the visit and on the future of the US-India relationship. With India garnering US support, the South Asian, and perhaps the entire Asian region will experience a power shift in the years to come.
though would like to tell you that most of the India has nothing against US or the people . Same goes to china , we have nothing against people but the ccp.
,but we will still go for apache.
