Obama's trip to India - warmth in cold January

The late chill in Delhi air is full of warmth as Modi pours Tea from the kettle for Obama, a traditional India way of treating the guest. In between are perfunctory sound bites, "We are two of the World's biggest democracies, share common values, bondage and more such diplomatic niceties." Notwithstanding the reported bonhomie between the two there are contentious issues between the nations. One is Af-Pak, just reverse the way to is sounds. "Fak-Ap" summarizes the issue as it stands today. Call it an obsession, the reality is that big elephant in the room called Pakistan, a factor which can't be easily ignored. Pakistan is America's first love, an old flame which just refuses to extinguish coming back to haunt like a recurring migraine. It has always been the perennial WOH (the other person) between the PATI- PATNI Indo- US spouse. Obama's presidency will gradually fade away, but The Foggy Bottom (as US State Department is known as) is full of Paki lovers, a remnant from Cold World era isn't going away.

 

Relationship between any two nations is governed by strategic or trade partnership. There is no permanent friends or enemies in this world, only permanent interest. Unfortunately strategically for Uncle Sam India is no Pakistan. NATO convoys don't pass through our territory. We cannot burn 10 NATO convoys and instantly extort $2 billion from America, an art Pakistan has mastered. America knows the running with the hare and hunting with Hounds" game the Pakis play,yet continues to uses it as a client state. Ayub Khan, the Pakistani military dictator wrote a book in 1960s named " FRIENDS NOT MASTERS", ascribing to his country's relationship with US. But the Master-Slave relationship continues till date. Pakistan is still treated as an "international con**m" by America time, use it for convenience and conveniently discard it afterwards.

 

 But what we can do is make ourselves more attractive as an investment destination and slowly build it to our advantage. On that Modi has started with the right note attracting Uncle Sam's attention. China and South Korea, both did it starting back in 1970s and never looked back. We missed the bus, whenever we try to run and catch up it speeds away with the Chinese and Koreans on board seemingly mocking at us. Like the proverbial monkey climbing a pole, we have a history of taking one step forward and two step back. We have to come out of the loop. It's still a long road ahead but a good, positive beginning never hurts. On that count Modi has done much better job than his predecessors. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope the coming days will be refreshingly different.