Indo-US Geniality in Asian Context

published in June 21, 2016.

The recent bonhomie between the New Delhi and the Washington has been termed as “consolidation” and “Strategic symphony” between the two countries. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited United States four times since he took his office in 2014. The recent visit from June7-8 2016 has if one side substantiated the Indo-US bilateral partnership, but at the same time it has erupted new geopolitical fissures in the Asia Continent.

The consolidation of bilateral engagements between the India and the United States particularly in the defense field has not gone well in the geostrategic circles in the Islamabad and Beijing. The joint statement issued after one to one meeting between the President Obama and the Indian Prime Minister resolved that two sides would be “priority partners”. This is “consolidation” on the 2015 US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The Indian Prime Minister’s speech in the US Congress avoided a direct reference to disputed South and East China seas. But, the Beijing understands that the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean between the New Delhi and the Washington is containment policy towards China.

The Chinese official statements during Modi’s trip to the US made it clear that India’s admission in the Missile Control and Technology Regime (MTCR) and Washington’s push to India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group would imbalance the geopolitical landscape in the region particularly between the New Delhi and the Islamabad. It is pertinent to mention that the New Delhi admission in MTCR paved its way to receive duel-use technology from the Washington. Moreover, last hiccups in the Indo-US nuclear agreement have also been resolved. The United States has agreed to start preparatory work for six nuclear reactors to be built by US company Westinghouse in the Andhra Pradesh state of India.

The Washington’s de-hyphenation policy between the New Delhi and the Islamabad would not help in resolving bilateral disputes between India and Pakistan. The Indo-US joint statement issued after the bilateral meeting has reiterated their mutual collaboration in fighting terrorism and a direct reference towards Islamabad. The fact cannot be concealed that the current crisis around the Af-Pak region is the US driven. It would not be a prudent policy to push Pakistan in isolation vis-à-vis fighting irredentist groups in the region.

New Delhi must understand that the US policy of containing China through New Delhi would not be a good move from Indian point of view. Antagonizing Chinese would be an imprudent policy in long run. We have seen how India was pushed by Washington to vote against Iran in the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting in 2005. The Iran-US nuclear agreement reminds New Delhi that how Washington changes its preference even upto 360 degree.

            Coming to South Asia the United States has never acted in sincerity to help in resolving Indo-Pak bilateral disputes. Rather it has always tried to manage their bilateral conflicts upto the level, where its own interest does not get affected. The recent bonhomie between India and the US would ultimately escalate tension in the Indo-Pak bilateral relationship and the same may happen between the Sino-Indo ties. There is a probability that Beijing-Islamabad would counter Indo-US consolidation, which at the end of day would hit a peace in the South Asian region.