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Journalism of Courage
If Donald Rumsfeld, the US secretary of defence, has a sense of recent history, he may find it intriguing to learn that Indo-US ties got consolidated only towards the end of the second term of the Clinton presidency. Historical parallels apart, Indo-US ties today are poised at a interesting stage in their evolution and the second term of the Bush administration could prove the real test of their durability and depth.
Going by the soundbites emanating out of Rumsfeld visit to New Delhi, there should be little cause for concern. Of course, Indo-US relations go beyond defence issues, since they have traditionally encompassed a broad spectrum of issues and initiatives. But since defence has been among the most pre-eminent themes in this engagement, the defence secretary8217;s views on Washington8217;s relations with New Delhi 8212; not just now but in the future 8212; assumes importance. Rumsfeld, in fact, went beyond the requirements of formal diplomacy by stating that the Bush administration wanted defence ties with India to get further 8220;knitted in the coming months and years8221;. But there are sticking points and the US defence secretary cannot be unaware of them. While the tensions that India experienced during the period when the post-Pokhran sanctions regime was in full force is more or less history, the frank airing of India8217;s disquiet over the US decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan by its external affairs minister must be seen in the context of the increasingly manifest cordiality between the US and Pakistan.
