6. India-US Relations
The Hindu reported that External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's recently concluded meetings with officials in the US has been described in the Indian media as a positive indicator to the future of the India-US relationship. The US media has portrayed the meetings as a "robust interaction," albeit one that lacks strong definition. The Hindu states that Bush seemed to have portrayed India's role as being important to the global strategic calculus. However, India refrained from seeking a US-friendly role such as an alliance, preferring instead to pursue a "partnership."
"The India-U.S. engagement"
"India, U.S. define new security agenda"
"India, the U.S. and China's long shadow"
After meeting with US President George Bush, Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh was interviewed by the Times of India. Singh stated that India-US relations should not be dependent upon other relations the two have, and that their bilateral relationship would not be affected by the US-PRC relationship.
"China not a factor in Indo-US ties: Jaswant"
K.K. Katyal wrote in The Hindu that, during External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's meetings with them, US officials in the Bush administration were focused on the pragmatic. Katyal states that in the past the US has sought to develop India as a counterbalance to the PRC, and that this is particularly salient with the US-PRC row over US intelligence gathering off the PRC's coast.
"The Indo-U.S. engagement"
Afzaal Mahmood argues in The Dawn that Pakistan's hope for stronger relations with the US has been dashed by the Bush administrations pursuit of an active and pointed cooperation with India that is greater than under the Clinton administration. Mahmood states that the strengthening of US-India ties is being driven by strategic reassessments being conducted by the Bush administration, some of which are driven by the importance of the Asia-Pacific and the PRC's growing global role.
"Indo-US ties: new momentum"
Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta, of the Brookings Institution, discuss US foreign policy under the Bush administration in the context of India and Pakistan. They review institutional changes in the US bureaucracy to better approach the region and identify the top US foreign policy goals in South Asia. They conclude that while the Bush administration will continue its tilt towards India, the presence in Bush's cabinet of advisors who last served in administrations more favorable to Pakistan means a relationship will be rebuilt with Pakistan.
"US-South Asia: Relations Under Bush"
V. Sudarshan writes in Outlook India that increased tensions in the US-PRC relationship provides India with greater leverage in its relations with the US.
"Spinoff Advantage"
