Breakthrough in Washington, Natwar meets Bush, Rice

External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s meetings in Washington today with President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza R...

External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s meetings in Washington today with President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should dispel all residual skepticism in New Delhi about the new American commitment to transform Indo-US relations.

The Bush administration’s support to India’s active association with the annual meetings of the Group of Eight advanced countries, the initiation of an energy dialogue with New Delhi that includes the renewal of cooperation in the civilian nuclear power sector, and the expansion of the ambit of commercial space cooperation to cover the fabrication and launch of satellites are some of the new elements that are about to define the future of Indo-US relations.

Natwar Singh’s talks with Bush and Rice today appeared to have laid the foundation for a historic visit to Washington by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July.

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Some of the key offers made by the Bush administration in recent days to India are likely to be translated into reality by the time Manmohan Singh arrives in Washington.

During her visit to New Delhi last month, Rice had conveyed the contours of the new framework that the Bush administration plans to implement in its second term. The commitment of Washington to assist India’s aspirations to become a world power, however, met the usual cynicism in the Indian bureaucracy and political class.

Indian doubts were partly reinforced by the American decision to renew the sale of F-16 fighter aircraft to India.

But in Washington today, the scale and scope of what was on offer to India came into full view. Natwar Singh got first hand assurances directly from President Bush, whom he met for nearly thirty minutes, that the expansive agenda for bilateral relations proposed by Rice would be implemented at the earliest.

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Natwar Singh’s meetings at the White House and the State Department have converted the Rice proposals into a political process that is expected to produce results shortly. Natwar Singh also welcomed the US offer for a defence industrial partnership, including the supply and co-production of advanced weapons systems.

Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee will travel to Washington in June to firm up plans for Indo-US defence cooperation.