Continuity in Change
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IN FOCUS_U.S.-INDIA TIES / COMMENT ne cannot help but included these points: ton resolve to create a closer and qual- be amazed by just • Forge better overall ties with an itatively new relationship between In- how far the U.S.-In- emerging global power, and the world’s larg- dia and the United States.” AR K dia relationship has est nation in the making; Attached to that statement was a come in less than a • Give operational meaning to our second document on ‘Institutional Di- decade. It has been shared democratic values, and interest in alogue Between India and the United RAN VELHAN I a remarkable transformation in rela- strengthening evolving democracies; States’. Its purpose was to set out, in ON: K I Otions, started under President Bill • Maximise our partnership with one detail, the architecture for this new re- Clinton, then accelerated under Geor- of the world’s largest economies, and one of lationship, including regular bilateral ILLUSTRAT ge W. Bush, and now set to continue the world’s largest middle classes; summits between the two heads of its positive, upward trajectory under • Help move India toward the global government and annual policy ex- Barack Obama. In each case the in- non-proliferation mainstream; changes conducted by the Secretary of cumbent president has found a willing • Enhance our joint efforts on urgent State and External Affairs Minister; and able Indian prime minister to global issues: terrorism, narcotics, rights of Foreign Office consultations; a Joint partner with in this joint endeavour women and children; Working Group on Counter-terrorism; — from Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Man- • Work together to deal with challenges an Indo-U.S. Financial and Economic mohan Singh. to regional stability; Forum, Indo-U.S. Commercial Dia- This transformation in relations • Team up to protect the global envi- logue, and Indo-U.S. Working Group has seen a turning point, a tipping ronment, with clean energy and other initia- on Trade; a Joint Consultative Group point, and now, in our view, it has tives where Indian leadership is essential; on Clean Energy and Environment; gone beyond the point of no return as • Join hands in the global campaign and an India-U.S. Science and Tech- Obama takes over as the 44th Presi- against polio, AIDS and other public health nology Forum. Such a network of in- dent of the United States. This trans- problems; stitutional ties were intended to mir- formation has also been an excellent • Upgrade our access to the world-class ror the arrangements the U.S. already — albeit all too infrequent — example Indian players in the vital area of informa- had in place with important allies in of policy continuity and bipartisanship tion technology; Europe and Asia, including Japan. in U.S. foreign policy. • Boost our thriving and mutually The positive response to Clinton’s helpful links in education, culture and peo- five days in India, especially with the The Turning Point ple-to-people exchanges. Indian public, exceeded all expecta- In advance of President Clinton’s visit tions. Indeed his visit was so success- to India in March 2000, we were asked These ‘Ten Reasons’ became the ful that India’s National Security Ad- CONTINUITY by the White House to pull together a ‘talking points’ for President Clinton’s viser, Brajesh Mishra, would later say brief, one page paper, setting out the visit, the first by an American presi- that it represented the ‘turning point’ underlying rationale for the trip and dent in 22 years. They found their way in opening a new era in U.S.-India re- the new agenda envisioned with In- into his speech before the Indian Par- lations. dia. It was ambitious, reflecting the liament and the statement he signed Moreover, that visit, along with president’s often stated desire to see with Prime Minister Vajpayee, entitled: Prime Minister Vajpayee’s reciprocal IN CHANGE India become an important partner ‘India-U.S. Relations: A Vision for the visit to Washington just six months with the United States in the years 21st Century’. The first sentence read: later in September 2000, laid the foun- ahead. The paper entitled, ‘Ten Rea- “At the dawn of a new century, Prime dation for the next stage in the U.S.- sons Why We Need to Engage India’, Minister Vajpayee and President Clin- India relationship. Although many of FROM CLINTON TO BUSH to Obama, there is a clear consensus among U.S. foreign policy strategists that India will be one of America’s most crucial partners in the 21st century. BY KARL F. INDERFURTH and BRUCE O. RIEDEL 024 INDIA & GLOBAL AFFAIRS • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2009 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2009 • INDIA & GLOBAL AFFAIRS 025 IN FOCUS_U.S.-INDIA TIES / COMMENT FP FP A A / E FF A J PHOTO: HEN P STE PHOTO: Close rapport: A file photo of U.S. President George Bush and Indian Give and take: A file PM Manmohan Singh photo of former U.S. Presi- in Heiligendamm, dent Bill Clinton exchanging Germany, during the the ‘Vision Statement’ with G8 Summit in 2007 former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Delhi the Clinton Administration’s foreign at the White House. forming a U.S.-India HIV/AIDs Part- nounced by the two leaders. It was policy initiatives would be scuttled by The fact sheet issued by the White nership, disaster response (building on also the least expected. Bush told the incoming Bush Administration, House after the two leaders concluded the successful collaboration in provid- Singh that he was now prepared to the growing strategic partnership of their highly successful meeting was ing emergency assistance after the De- work to achieve full civil nuclear en- the U.S. and India proved not to be entitled ‘The United States and India: cember 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami), ergy cooperation and trade with India, one of them. In fact, it was expanded Strong Global Partners’. Eight major and space cooperation. despite over a quarter-century of dis- to include areas that had been virtu- initiatives were spelt out, several of The statement also called atten- agreements between the two countries ally off limits to the Clinton Adminis- which build on the America-India tion to the fact that the Prime Minis- over nuclear issues. tration — like military-to-military ties agenda envisioned and begun five ter’s visit coincided with the comple- That announcement signalled that — due to sanctions that were still in years earlier: tion of the Next Steps in Strategic a new era in U.S.-India cooperation effect following India’s 1998 nuclear Partnership (NSSP) initiative. Launched had begun. If President Clinton’s visit tests. • A U.S.-India Global Democracy Ini- in January 2004, the NSSP was de- represented the ‘turning point’ in the and, ultimately, successful. The over- The Obama Agenda tiative to Aid Developing Democracies was signed to clear away obstacles to closer relationship, the nuclear agreement whelming bipartisan support for the That is the relationship that the new The Tipping Point announced; U.S.-India cooperation on a ‘trinity’ of would represent the ‘tipping point’. civil nuclear agreement in the United American President inherits. A firm The first years of President Bush’s • A CEO Forum was established, an issues that had remained beyond the The task of finalising the civil States was evident in the votes in the foundation has been laid to reach its term in office were preoccupied by the advisory group comprised of top U.S. and grasp of previous U.S. administrations: nuclear cooperation deal would domi- U.S. House of Representatives and full potential. aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks Indian CEOs; dual-use, high technology transfers, ci- nate the U.S.-India agenda for the next Senate and the affirmative votes cast In his statements in the Senate on the United States, the war in Af- • A U.S.-India Knowledge Initiative vilian nuclear and civilian space coop- three years, involving not only the by both presidential candidates. This and on the presidential campaign trail, ghanistan, and his decision to go to on Agriculture was launched, focussed on eration. The ‘trinity’ would later be- two governments at the highest levels strong political support reflected the Obama made it abundantly clear that war in Iraq in March 2003. But by July promoting teaching, research and commercial come the ‘quartet’ with the inclusion but the International Atomic Energy consensus of American foreign policy he recognises the transformation that 2005, Bush was prepared to leave a linkages and a second ‘Green Revolution’. of missile defence cooperation. Agency (IAEA) and the 45-member strategists that India will be one of has taken place in U.S.-India relations lasting mark on U.S.-India relations The completion of the NSSP led Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). It America’s most crucial partners in the over the past two administrations and when he hosted Prime Minister Singh Other important steps dealt with to the most important initiative an- was a major diplomatic undertaking 21st century. that his administration will continue THE CLINTON ERA: Laying the foundation THE BUSH DEcaDE: Consolidating ties FP FP A A 1998 1999 2000 2001 2005 2006 2007 2008 B / CK / The U.S. makes a vital Clinton assures Clinton arrives in U.S. lifts sanctions Summit meeting Bush signs the India and the U.S. The U.S. Congress E LOE B N differentiation India that ‘concrete New Delhi, the which it imposed between Manmohan enabling legislation announce the finalisa- approves the 123 BY between India, which steps will be taken’ to first U.S. presidential against India and SAUL Singh and George permitting full civilian tion of bilateral civil Agreement allowing RO it refers to as a ‘nuclear restore the Line of visit to India in 22 Pakistan after their Bush signals the esta- nuclear cooperation nuclear cooperation India to purchase PHOTO: PHOTO: democracy’, and Control between India years, to improve ties.