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On his four-day trip to India, U.S. President Barack Obama pledged to strengthen U.S.-India efforts to fight terrorism and deny safe havens to terrorists in South Asian countries (WashPost). Obama said India and the United States had a responsibility to lead global efforts to combat extremists and the global spread of nuclear weapons. He touched on long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed province of Kashmir, saying the United States "cannot impose a solution" (Dawn) on the problem. India and the United States struck six agreements during the visit on clean energy, nuclear energy, public health, and military relations, as well as a host of business deals (TimesofIndia). Those deals, worth nearly $15 billion, could create more than fifty thousand U.S. jobs (FT). Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended Obama against criticism that the visit was overly focused on commercial deals and he supported Obama's leadership role in resolving global imbalances ahead of the G20 summit. Obama is expected to endorse India's bid to become a permanent UN Security Council member (Politico) in a speech to India's parliament today.
Analysis:
In the L.A. Times, Selig Harrison says to reach the full potential of U.S.-India relations, the United States must stop providing Pakistan with weaponry that can be used against India and take a realistic view of the reasons for Indian-Pakistani tensions.
In the New York Times, Jim Yardley says Obama's trip was an attempt to refocus the U.S.-India relationship away from disputes with Pakistan and China, to win "tangible goodies (for example, contracts) that politicians call 'deliverables.'"
Background:
A new report by the Center for New American Security provides a blueprint for the path forward for the U.S.-India relationship, given India's rise.
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