SPEAKING FREELY India, US - the way ahead
By Siddharth Joshi
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to
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Relations between India and the United States need to be
analyzed from a purely objective standpoint, framed from a mutual interest
paradigm, without emotional outbursts.
The areas where the United States can benefit from cooperation with India are:
Protection of sea-lanes carrying oil from the Middle East to countries like
Japan and South Korea;
Intelligence inputs from India in the war on terror;
Access to India's potentially huge market (companies like Walmart want to
access India's middle class, banks such as
Citibank and insurance company's see India as a major emerging market);
India's role as a possible counter balance to China and a market to sell
military technology;
American pension funds find the growth rate of companies listed on the Indian
stock market quite attractive compared with companies listed on American
exchanges, hence the Indian stock market is a popular destination for American
and European funds.
India needs the United States for access to capital and technology, namely
nuclear and commercial space technology and as a market for its information
technology, pharmaceuticals, textiles and auto components outsourcing stories.
Shared values like the promotion of democracy and the English language are also
important, although they cannot substitute for any of the above points.
However, India must not harbor any illusions of America helping India beyond a
certain point in its war on terror. The global war against terrorism cannot be
won without de-radicalizing and de-militarizing Pakistan. Doing that, however,
may allow India to emerge as the pre-eminent power in South Asia, which many
analysts in the United States are very uncomfortable with.
The problem the US government is wrestling with is how to augment India's
scientific, technical and conventional military capabilities so that India can
balance China but still not be in a position to threaten American strategic
interests in the extended region?
India should broaden and deepen its political, military and economic
relationship with the US while keeping its decision-making autonomy in
strategic issues like long-range missile development and nuclear weapons intact
to the maximum possible extent.
Differences will always remain on Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, issues
regarding human rights, outsourcing and child labor. On the other hand, for the
first time, India is finding the US willing to cooperate in areas that were
previously taboo. India must take advantage of this situation in order to
contain the China-Pakistan nexus, which has always tried to prevent India from
finding its rightful place on the global stage.
Is the United States really serious about developing India as a counterweight
to China? One possible answer to this question is that it will depend on the
reaction of the United States to India testing its thermonuclear weapon designs
in case of a supreme national emergency. At that time the United States will
have to decide whether its non-proliferation agenda is more important or
developing India as a counter-weight to China is more important.
According to some Indian analysts, trying to legalize the Indo-US strategic
partnership through treaties like LSO/CISMO will be a mistake. Sovereignty
issues and concerns over American ability to penetrate and potentially disrupt
and subvert the communication networks of the Indian armed forces make signing
these treaties extremely difficult for India.
The very basis of American power is control over the oceans (apart from the
other factors which are covered later) and there is a section of American
analysts who feel that any military build-up of India (particularly naval) is
problematic if it crosses a certain threshold. This section of analysts also
has similar views regarding Japan's naval capabilities.
The United States will be accommodative of India's rise on the world stage as
long as India does not cross certain red lines (further nuclear tests, ICBM
deployment, offensive naval capability, weapon/technology transfers to certain
states etc).
Trying to convince the United States that any Indian military build-up
(particularly naval) is not targeted against the United States, that India is
willing to play by the rules in its international relations and that India does
not want to break up Pakistan, will be one of the key aims of Indian foreign
policy in the next decade. Indo-US relations are currently on the upswing and
it will be in both the countries interests to ensure that the momentum does not
falter.
Siddharth Joshi has an MS in Manufacturing Systems from the University of
Texas, Austin and has completed the eMEP program from IIM-K. He has worked in
technology start-ups in the United States and India and his main research
interests are in the field's of computer simulations, capital markets and
international relations. Siddharth resides in Pune, India.This article is
adapted from the authors forthcoming book Understanding National
Security.
(Copyright 2011 Siddarth Joshi.)
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to
have their say. Please click here if you are interested in
contributing. Articles submitted for this section allow our readers to express
their opinions and do not necessarily meet the same editorial standards of Asia
Times Online's regular contributors.
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