Hurdles for India

Both India and the US term Barack Obama’s visit a success, citing a horde of reasons to justify their claim – breakthrough in the civil nuclear deal, resolution of differences over the liability of suppliers and tracking nuclear material, etc. However, one could see many ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ in their talks and during the question and answer session with the media. In fact, there are many hurdles to be ‘overcome’ by both the countries to be good partners. Perhaps, the most important aspect of the visit was Obama’s mention of regional stability. This way the US president was indirectly urging India to resolve its longstanding disputes with Pakistan and China.
The western media has been projecting India as an ‘economic giant’ in the region. There is a general impression that the US intends to use India as a counterweight to a surging Chinese influence in South Asia. But India has a long way to cover before it can compete with the Chinese economically. The most important is that India has to lift a considerable proportion of its population from chronic poverty. The talks are a proxy for the broader US goal to grab the lucrative Indian consumer, nuclear and military markets.
Abid Mahmud Ansari
Islamabad