4. India-US Relations
Siddharth Varadarajan argued that the Indian government's US focus is a product of its primary concern for Pakistan and cross-border terrorism. Varadarajan also argued that despite India's belief that the US has the greatest clout in South Asia, the India's regional neighbors are better potential allies.
"Is India putting all its eggs in the US basket?"
In talks this week, US President Clinton and Indian Prime Minister AB Vajpayee are expected to discuss extremist forces in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Kashmir, partly as the US-India Working Group on counter-terrorism has been their major dialogue forum. This is a broadening of dialogue that has previously focused on nuclear proliferation, India-Pakistan relations, and the Kashmir dispute.
"Taliban to figure in Indo-U.S. talks"
India rejected a suggestion by the US government that it consider a voluntary cap on fissile material for nuclear weapons, and therefore an inevitable moratorium on its production, because of India's fear that Pakistan would cheat on a unilateral moratorium. The US is looking for progress on non-proliferation in the absence of accession to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The Indian government did commit itself to join negotiations on a Fissile Materials Cut-Off treaty at the Geneva Conference on Disarmament.
"India rejects U.S. suggestion for moratorium on fissile material production"
The Hindu covered a report produced by the US-based CATO institute's Victor Gobarev that said if the US does not take India seriously as a world power, the US risks causing an anti-US alliance of India, Russia, and the PRC. The report argued that the US could elevate the relationship with India by accepting India's entry into the nuclear club and supporting its bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
"'U.S. policy towards India must change'"
"Report Text: 'India as a World Power: Changing Washington's Myopic Policy'"
Sonika Gupta, in an article published by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (New Delhi), argued that policy makers should not underestimate the role of popular literature in providing the space for the US to expand its power endlessly. Gupta also noted that it is a problem that US policies are institutionalized to the extent that the interests and participation of non-western states are excluded.
"Building a Case for US Supremacy"