Asia-Pacific

Obama tries to ease India worries

By Ran Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-05 07:12

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna walk out for a press conference in Washington on Thursday. [Reuters]

WASHINGTON - At the US-India Strategic Dialogue that is being held here from Tuesday through Friday, US President Barack Obama is trying hard to ease India's worries that it might be neglected by Washington.

Such issues as counter-terrorism, science and technology, trade, and agriculture were touched upon at the dialogue.

In a joint statement released Thursday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Indian External Affairs Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna pledged to deepen links between the people, governments and businesses of the two nations "for the mutual benefit of both countries and for the promotion of global peace, stability, economic growth and prosperity."

Krishna also requested the right for Indian authorities to interview an American citizen linked to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which killed more than 160 people.

He described access to the suspect, currently in US custody, as "perhaps the logical next step."

Bumpy road

The road of US-India relations was bumpy during the Cold War years. But bilateral ties improved after former US President George W. Bush's visit to India in March 2006, during which he signed a historic civilian nuclear deal with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

However, under the Obama administration, more emphasis seems to have been laid upon developing ties with Pakistan and Afghanistan to shore up US war efforts in Afghanistan. The administration held strategic dialogues with these two countries in March and May, respectively, raising fears in India that it might be sidelined.

Clinton said Thursday that there are "doubts among some Indians that the United States only sees India, or mainly sees India, in the context of Afghanistan and Pakistan."

There are also "doubts in America that India has not fully embraced its role in regional or global affairs," she said.

During the dialogue, the Obama administration has tried hard to ease India's worries, saying it considers India an important partner in dealing with global issues and fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In order to highlight India's importance, Obama broke the protocol and attended the ministerial-level reception for India officials, according to a Washington Post report.

In a speech addressed to the dialogue, Obama stressed the importance of US-India relations.

"Our relations with India are at the highest of priorities for my administration and for me personally as president of the United States," he said.

Obama hailed India as "a rising power and a responsible global power," adding the US-India relationship will be "a defining partnership of the 21st century" and India is "indispensable to the future of US."

"We're deepening our economic cooperation - on finance and investment and the trade that creates jobs in both of our countries," he said.

Obama also announced he has accepted an invitation from Singh to visit India in early November while Clinton said the two sides must "directly and candidly" address the doubts they had.