India-U.S Relations

PAST--

In the past, Indo-US relations dominated by Cold War politics. The Indo-Soviet friendship and the US-Pak accord was the two major hindrance. Though ‘aid relations’ prevailed during 1950s and 1960s, New Delhi and Washington saw were on the rivalry side in the period. However, Presidents Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were in favour of maintaining cordial relations with India. Kennedy was gmore interested in India than Pakistan .

The Sino-Indian dispute in 1962 brought about embellished mutual cooperation between the two countries. But the 1965 Indo-Pak War undid everything; Washington interest in the region vanished. Though President Carter showed some interest, the Afghan war observed US political support tilting again towards Islamabad . Reagan literally wrote off India . Later, in the mid-1980s the US strategy was to discourage India away from the Soviet Union .

Dramatic turn occurred in the 1990s—the Cold War was terminated with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and US-Pak relations jumped, because of the latter’s fraudulent nuclear program.

PRESENT--

Presently Indo-US relations are improving resulting in various official visits. India is viewed as the largest democracy and emerging economic power. It is also seen as a reliable and potential partner in Asia if US relations sour with China. The Indian Americans’ role is significant in boosting India ’s image in the US from a ‘land of the poor’ to the ‘country of brains’. NRIs are especially admired for their contributions to IT sector. They are better organized than before through the India Caucus, which now includes 130 members of the House of Representatives

There is much forebonding in India over the new US-Pak accord after September 11 and a possible reverting to the Cold War years. Despite the return of sincerety towards Pakistan , the US requires India . This is evident from the starting of high level military-to-military contacts, no objection to the PHALCON radar system being procured from Israel , and optimism on obtaining the GE-404 engines and P3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft. Scores of mutual visits across the board is proof of improving relations. One has to understand that US interests in Pakistan is basically to prevent it from failing.

FUTURE--

Thus the future is full of optimism. There is a common focus on encountering terrorism. There are no major strategic issues dividing the two countries; above all, there is a strong desire to move ahead in improving bilateral relations.At the economic level, there is a possibility of more trade and investment flows. But, it is for India to tap the potential. Cooperation in the non-military nuclear energy sphere is another greenfield area.