Indo US relations enter new phase

Obama has invoked presidential waiver to remove American insistence on ‘tracking’ India’s sourcing of nuclear material from elsewhere and that its use does not become military. In that sense, it is a victory of Indian sovereignty over American business interests

India has taken a significant step towards the global high table by matching its goals in key areas of defence and energy security with the world’s biggest power, signing landmark pacts on operationalising the civil nuclear deal and on joint production of defence systems it needs.

More will come in future, going by a remarkable, but not total, convergence of its immediate and medium term strategic interests with those of the United States. The caution here is essential because there is no – and never can be – total and permanent congruency in the objectives of any two nations. Interests and objectives can alter with time and circumstances, compelling the two democracies where people’s interests are supreme.

Yet, India and the US have crossed a landmark threshold in bilateral ties that the world will take note. This makes President Barack Obama’s current India visit remarkable. Relations nurtured over decades have reached a memorable milestone. Energy-starved India pushes into operation the civil nuclear deal with the US, despite the debate on safety and feasibility of using the nuclear path to power generation.

At another level, it needs recording that history has been unkind to Manmohan Singh. He staked his government to push the deal with the US and did not just survive, but won a fresh mandate. But the deal became dodo for myriad reasons. Now, Narendra Modi gets credit for sensing the right time and making the best move.

Obama has invoked presidential waiver to remove American insistence on ‘tracking’ India’s sourcing of nuclear material from elsewhere and that its use does not become military. In that sense, it is a victory of Indian sovereignty over American business interests. The liability issue remains problematic. Operating Russian reactors at Kudankulam, India can buy power reactors and can source nuclear material from elsewhere. So, it is not putting all eggs in the American basket.

As the world’s biggest arms importer, India chooses its partners, system by system, weapon by weapon. This remains after joint manufacture of two of the many American systems on offer. India has wisely chosen the simpler ones, of more immediate need, not getting overawed by the more sophisticated gizmos.

That India has preferred Israeli, French and other systems also points to its retaining diverse sourcing and a high measure of autonomy. There is a significant admission of the failure of its ‘Make in India’ quest in defence sector, even as that slogan becomes more potent with Modi’s current moves.

India has failed to make a ‘Kaveri’, engine for its much-delayed, but now ready ‘Tejas’ combat aircraft. The Americans had offered GE-404 engine, even gifting four, way back in the early 1980s. That India will use the American engines for Tejas is both an admission of its limitations in defence research and development, and shedding of its distrust of America as a reliable supplier.

By:Mahendra Ved