It’s interesting to note that an US President should visit India twice during his tenure as US President. This hasn’t happened before. Therefore, President Barack Obama’s second visit to India (his first visit was in November 2010) is a landmark event. India is important to the United States – from business, economic, political and military perspectives.
It’s no wonder then that President Obama’s visit to India a few days ago (25-27 January 2015) – so soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in end-September 2014 – is seen as a somewhat freaky, even as an alarming, event for the world at large. No doubt it’ll be a much-talked-about story in the diplomatic circles for a while.
For one thing, many countries and their diplomats must be wondering what the unexpectedly-announced document titled ‘US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region’ is all about. Most Indian citizens certainly are. Of course, it will be made clear to the world soon enough but, for the moment, it’ll have China, Pakistan and Russia worried for sure.
Image courtesy muchask.net
China, which is both an economic and a military powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region, with an almost-total control over South China Sea, has a history of political and military rivalry with India ever since India provided asylum to the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959. Thereafter, India and China have actually been at war in 1962 and have kept a watchful eye on each other.
Pakistan and India have been in conflict ever since they became independent from British Rule (and each other) in 1947. And, although Pakistan has enjoyed support from the US over the past 60-odd years, mainly due to India’s friendship with the USSR/Russia, the situation has changed substantially with the advent and growth of Islamic terrorism, some of which seems to have its roots in Pakistan.
Russia and its earlier avatar the USSR have played key roles in India’s history and development since India’s Independence, supporting us industrially, economically and militarily. India has been dependent on Russian-made weapons for many years, making her the largest supplier of weapons to India. In fact, President Obama, as the Chief Guest at this year’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi, was witness to a magnificent display of Russian-made aircrafts, tanks and guns.
However, over the past 10 years, India’s dependence on Russian weapons and diplomatic support has reduced in favour of Israeli and US weapons. Some reports suggest that, as of 2013, the US has overtaken Russia as the no.1 supplier of weapons to India. And now, suddenly, India and the US are ready with an ‘US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region’. Hence, apart from the loss in the weapons business, Russia has much to worry about.
Perhaps President Obama’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi is really a landmark event in a global sense. Perhaps their meeting has more to do with a shift in power in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region than mere climate change, nuclear energy for civil use, Indian infrastructure projects, respect for Indian women, or Indian agriculture. It’s not that these environmental, economic and social issues aren’t important. It’s just that I feel there’s a much bigger strategy at play here.
