Washington not only laid out the red carpet for diminutive Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but showered praise on  his country that would have warmed the cockles of the hearts of New Delhi wallahs with the Great Power complex. It was the first state visit by a foreign dignitary to the White House under the Obama presidency. It was touted as the biggest diplomatic event in Washington for the year.

A joint US-India army exercise in Bundela, India. Photo courtesy defencelink.ml

The praise was lavish by President Obama. He spoke of India’s rightful place as a global leader. The relationship between the US and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st Century. Vice President Joe Biden at the State Department lunch told the Indian Premier: ‘You are the hottest ticket in town.’ Observers noted that there was one theme during the Manmohan visit: India is top priority for America.

A lavish black tie dinner in the South Lawn of White House followed the overwhelming rhetoric. The  350 guests one report said were treated to a mostly vegetarian dinner — prawns, basmati rice, eggplant  salad, lentil soup, potato dumplings amid other exquisite dishes prepared by White House chefs and the best chefs in Washington. Observers said that the Obama administration sincerely wanted their guests to feel that India was the top priority for America. But there were other reasons as well.

Bush India’s favourite

Former President George Bush had moved heaven and earth to get India on board,  analysts have pointed out. His steadfast commitment to push through the  Indo-American Civilian Nuclear Deal resulted in a strategic partnership which brought India closer to its dreams of being a global power. One of the last acts of George Bush was to push the nuclear deal through Congress.  During a recent visit of the former American president to India, he was received with warmth as in no other country, including some of his close allies, observers had noted. He was even described by an Indian journalist as the ‘best American president India ever had.’

During the Bush administration the joint exercises staged by the armed forces of the two countries enhanced bonds of friendship. There had been five annual training exercises where Indian troops were engaged in Alaska and Hawaii while American troops underwent insurgency training in the Indian jungle warfare training school. The economic exchanges between the two countries since India opened up her economy had increased by 693 per cent and India had voted twice against Iran  at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s nuclear programme — a move which was unthinkable the  previous decade.

Democrats and Republicans as friends

There is a widespread belief among the Indian defence and foreign affairs establishment and its experience too has also been that while Republicans have been friends of India, Democrats have been friends of Pakistan. And this appeared to be so during the first ten months of the Democrat administration of Barack Obama. The intense and constant attention paid to Pakistan because of the war on terrorism and the Taliban had been at the cost of India. President Obama during his recent visit to Asia had caused much concern over the enhanced role which America conferred on China as a global power as well as an Asian power.

Barack Obama’s policy on outsourcing American projects to Indians who had found it to be a lucrative and increasing source of income has been criticised and his policy on immigration too has not been favourable to India. The red carpet welcome and the morale boosting compliments by the Obama administration has been interpreted by some commentators as an attempt to salve bruised Indian feelings. Indeed America under the Obama administration does value very much its relationship with the South Asian giant but is limited by its geopolitical options on China and Pakistan.

Mumbai Attack

Manmohan Singh’s Washington visit was made a few days before the anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attack. But Obama had made no reference to it and when an Indian reporter had asked about terrorist attacks made on India from Pakistan, Obama had skirted the question and spoken about peace and stability in the region. Obama was keeping Indian and Pakistani issues separate vis-a vis US policy.

Some Indian commentators have already noted that the Washington visit left India’s most pressing issue untouched. It had been said that India should have used America to pressurise Pakistan to crack down on Pakistani terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba. These groups including the Kashmir groups were a threat to international peace, India claims.

It has been alleged for many years by Indians that there is a close relationship between the Pakistan Army, particularly the Intelligence Services (ISI) and the terror groups. This relationship influences Pakistani governments because of the clout carried by the army. It is also noted that the Lashkar has not been targeting American interests in Pakistan and this is attributed to links with the army. Right now Pakistan is indispensable in the war against the al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Thus, however much India’s importance may increase as a global leader Pakistan is top priority for Obama.

China

With Chinese investment of trillions of dollars in America and America still wobbling to get out of the international financial crisis China too takes precedence over India. New Delhi knows all this too well. Obama flattery may be good to boost the national ego but it will leave the problem of terrorism which Indians were much concerned about on the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks untouched.