INDO-US relation at a critical stage >> #TR As the summer gets hotter in India, you can expect an extremely cold and frigid climate enveloping the Indo-US bilateral equations. The relations between the world’s most powerful democracy and its largest democracy are going downhill, courtesy Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade. The just-concluded India-US Energy Dialogue and visits by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal and US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz earlier this month have proven to be blink-and-you-miss goodwill moves on the Indo-US radar screen. The wrecker-in-chief of this strategic partnership is Preet Bharara, the India-born US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who has got an arrest warrant issued against Khobragade following her re-indictment on charges of visa fraud and perjury. The new government, which should be in place in New Delhi by May end, will face a major foreign policy challenge: to save the Indo-US bilateral relationship. As for the present UPA government, it has come up with a strong statement, making it clear that India will not be taking the new provocation from the Obama administration lying low. It is unlikely that the next Indian government, whatever its composition and whoever is the prime minister, will bring about any substantial change in this policy. That is why it makes sense to analyse the Indian reaction on the latest Indo-US flashpoint. Here is the complete official statement on the subject by Ministry of India’s spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin on Saturday: “We are disappointed that the relevant office of the United States Department of Justice chose to obtain a second indictment against an IFS officer, Dr Devyani Khobragade, despite the fact that the first indictment and arrest warrant were dismissed earlier this week. This was an unnecessary step. Any measures consequent to this decision in the US, will unfortunately impact upon efforts on both sides to build the India-US strategic partnership, to which both sides are committed. As far as India is concerned, we reiterate that the case has no merit. Therefore this second indictment has no impact on our stated position. Now that Dr Khobragade has returned to India, the Court in the United States has no jurisdiction in India over her. Government will therefore no longer engage on this case in the United States’ legal system.” In one sentence, the Indian response can be paraphrased in simple and naked terms thus: “You Americans can go and climb a wall, but we Indians will not budge an inch from our previously stated position. ” The MEA has dubbed the US action as “an unnecessary step”, but this is a gross understatement of the ground position as it exists today in the Indian diplomatic establishment. India has not said that it finds the US action “provocative” but its upcoming conduct with the US may leave the Americans in no doubt that this indeed is a more befitting expression of Indian policy makers vis a vis the US. Here are the three ways in which New Delhi may deal with the Obama administration in the coming weeks and months. 1. All major Indo-US engagements are likely to be put on the back burner. No fresh deals, in defence or civilian nuclear cooperation or in any other field, are likely to be pushed, leave alone being inked. 2. India is likely to initiate the next phase of action against the American diplomats and other staff whose financial dealings are at an advanced stage of probe by the Central Board of Direct Taxes and other Indian agencies. 3. It is likely to deal sternly with American diplomats in the event of the slightest of violation of Indian laws, even if it is a small incident of traffic signal jumping, though the American embassy has already sensitized its staff to such a scenario. Also, those who thought that Khobragade’s career in the MEA is hanging in a balance would be told that she is firmly ensconced and there is no threat to her career. On the contrary, if this Indo-US spat continues, she could be given an even more important assignment.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 06:44:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015