Barack Obama’s Tour of India: Expectations and Concerns

On November 5, U.S. President Barack Obama starts on an official tour of India, to which he was invited by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the latter’s visit to the U.S. This is going to be a very important trip for both countries because conditions in the region are tense and the visit will provide them with an opportunity to expand their strategic relationship. As it is the U.S. gives a great deal of importance to India and considers it a global partner. The American president has declared India to be an “indispensable partner” whereas India calls the U.S. a “natural ally.”

A civilian nuclear technology agreement between India and America was the great gift of George Bush’s tour of India, but Barack Obama has no such gift. The basic purpose of this tour is to control China’s increasing power, even though the U.S. has many connections to China and trades with her. However the U.S. does not at all like for any other country to achieve parity with it or attempt to become a super power. It is strange that President Barack Obama has no intention of visiting Pakistan at the present time. Despite knowing that the Pakistani populace does not view America favorably, rather than visit Pakistan to improve the U.S.’s image he prefers visiting India. The U.S. knows full well what Pakistanis think of America in the wake of the drone attacks and how low her graph of popularity has sunk, but this problem has not been taken seriously. Nonetheless the U.S. president now bears the heavy responsibility that upon visiting India, he should not play up Pakistan as an obstacle in order to please India, but rather work to find a solution to the Kashmir problem between India and Pakistan, which has been in need of resolution for 63 years.

It is a fact that Barack Obama’s failure to visit Pakistan first is equivalent to an insult because, in contrast to India, Pakistan has been a front-line partner for the last nine years, has suffered extreme losses of lives and material, and continues to incur those losses. The U.S. cannot repay Pakistan for this, nor is it ever going to, but the least they could have done was to start the presidential visit in Pakistan. By visiting India first the U.S. has once again pleased India, as is her wont, and sent us a message about our lowly position.

The Indian Prime Minister will repeat his old litany in front of the U.S. president that it is essential to stop cross-border terrorism because it is extremely important for peace in this region that terrorism should be eliminated, and Barack Obama will attest to this. India will present an exaggerated assessment of its defense needs so she can obtain as much aid and sympathy from America as she can. The Indian army chief and head of air force have already prepared the path for this. In a recent address to their officers they spoke about a delicate situation within the region, apprised them of the dangers from China and Pakistan, and did not reject the possibility of nuclear war. All of this was done so that India’s tyrannies in Occupied Kashmir would remain obscured and as much support from the U.S. could be obtained as possible.

India has already been investing considerably in the U.S., which has resulted in the creation of 300,000 American jobs. The volume of mutual trade is greater than $44 billion and India is America’s fourteenth largest trading partner. In the last few years India and the U.S. have conducted fifty joint war exercises and India has purchased $2.5 billion worth of military equipment. However, taking full advantage of the present opportunity, India will push the Kashmir problem into the background, though she may be willing to discuss issues related to water sharing between India and Pakistan. India should not become over-pleased with President Barack Obama’s visit nor hold any unrealistic expectations. There is going to be no significant change in American policy toward Pakistan. There won’t be any major development like the previous 123 agreement, though there will be more emphasis on mutual trade. India may obtain cooperation from the U.S. in space technology. The American president’s basic agenda is to improve the American economy. It is entirely possible that the president may address a joint session of the parliament and, while lauding India’s role in the region, promise increased cooperation.

The American president should know that it is only the Kashmir issue which is the cause of dispute between Pakistan and India. He has accepted this and in fact, before his election, much importance was given to this issue; but after becoming president it is as if his lips have been sealed. The tour is a good opportunity and President Barack Obama should take advantage of it to press India to resolve the Kashmir problem; at the very least, he should express concern about the oppression being carried out in Kashmir. It is true that it is a failure of our Foreign Office that the American president is visiting India first. At the diplomatic level it is necessary to energize the campaign to have the American president visit Pakistan soon, not because the Pakistani populace is restless for the visit but so that America can find out what the Pakistani people want of her and what importance they give her. Such a visit could testify to whether the glass is half full or half empty.