The US really doesn't have any leverage when it comes to India. We opposed and sanctioned India's nuclear program, but they went ahead and got the bomb anyway. There have been dozens of terrorist attacks by Pakistani-based and Pakistani-funded groups inside India, and yet the US never took terrorism seriously until 9/11 - and even after 9/11, cares only about groups targeting the US, not those targeting India. No sensible person in India at this point believes that the US has India's best interests in mind. While India sees the US as more of a friend now than at any time in the past, relations are cordial - there is no willingness among Indians to bend over backwards to help or even listen to the US, since they know that the US never has and probably never will go out of its way to address India's security and terrorism concerns.
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Between Delhi and D.C.
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None of these problems is insurmountable, or guarantees that the U.S.-Indian relationship is headed for real trouble. For one thing, friends can, and often do, disagree without endangering their underlying relationship. For another, the Obama administration could take measures—such as arranging an official visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (who skipped India on her last Asia trip) and pushing through a new agreement on weapons sales—that would greatly reassure India without abandoning America's own priorities. But the point to remember is that it's going to take hard work. The celebrations over Congress's victory are now finished. Time for both sides to sober up and get down to the tough business that lies ahead.
Ganguly is a professor of Political Science and the Director of Research of The Center On American and Global Security at Indiana University, Bloomington.
© 2009
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