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Prospects for India-U.S. relations better: Swamy

Staff Reporter

India plays on U.S. fears about China, says expert

KOCHI: The deep suspicions between the United States and China have allowed India to occupy the advantageous middle position in the China-India-U.S.-Triangle, John W. Garver of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S., said here on Tuesday.

Presenting a paper on the ‘China-India-U.S. Triangle, 2001-2007’ at the international conference here, Mr. Garver said India played on U.S. fears of China’s rapidly growing power to secure U.S. support for Indian objectives.

“One crucial question for Indian strategists is how India may better utilise its current advantageous position in the new China-India-U.S. triangle. Such triangular configurations are not necessarily durable, and India could lose opportunities by failing to recognise and fully utilise the advantages of its current swing position,” he said.

Subramanian Swamy, former Union Minister for Commerce and Chairman of the New Delhi-based Centre for National Renaissance, said that prospects for improved U.S.-India relations appeared bright because U.S.-Pakistan partnership was dependent on the survival of Pakistan, which today is under siege, from all sides, internal and external, moderate and fundamentalist. “If Pakistan starts to unravel, then a U.S.-India compact to stem the consequences will become inevitable. This is a contingency that U. S. and India will have to provide for,” he said.

S. Krishnaswamy, former Air Chief Marshal, said it was unlikely that the U.S. and China would have common strategic interests other than those concerned with the war on terrorism. “Despite China having targeted the U.S. and [being] its main adversary, the new administration at the Capitol Hill is likely to work closer with China to garner support in world politics.”

He said that India was unlikely to have any kind of strategic relationship with China.

Participating in the discussion, N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said there had been incremental political gains during the Prime Minister’s visit to China, notably China’s commitment to promote bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation consistent with its international commitments and its support for “India’s aspirations to play a greater role in the U.N., including in the Security Council.”

Referring to the increasing trade relations between both the countries, Mr. Ram said China was already India’s largest developing partner. He said that an enhanced target of $60 billion had been set during Manmohan Singh’s visit.

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