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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8217;s visit to the United States has started off well. The first meeting of President Bush with the new prime minister was obviously productive and mutually satisfying leading to their relaxed but optimistic comments to the media afterwards. Its success lies in the fact that the existing relationship is seen as a satisfactory stepping stone for a vast potential ahead of the two countries in working together. The area of trade and economic relations is an obvious centre of gravity for future relations. And the man who opened up the Indian economy while rapidly recovering from the economic crisis of 1990-91 is best placed to expedite it.
If the past is any indication, the divergence of perceptions on strategic issues may still be the proverbial roadblock. Washington had preferred to invest in military-to-military relations instead of building closer, broader defence co-operation, especially in the areas of defence industry. Numerous joint military exercises have been held, and the Indian navy has been patrolling the Malaccas to ensure safety and security of sea-lanes. But the US Congressional Research Service has cautioned in its recent report that the existence of a non-proliferation constituency in the US remains a hindrance to more fully developed military-to-military relations.
