India-US Relations : News and Discussion

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 19 Nov 2014 23:19

Check this out!! watch from the 16th minute

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 20 Nov 2014 17:33

Indian students in the US and vice versa:
http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2014/11/18/in ... ll-meager/

Roperia · Post by **Roperia** » 21 Nov 2014 11:25

A baki diplomat's conversation was intercepted (by NSA?), where he mentioned that a prominent former SD official was passing on American secrets to them.

This led to several months long FBI investigation eventually leading to raids at RR's home where FBI agents found classified information.

Eavesdropping on Pakistani Official Led to Inquiry of Former U.S. Diplomat | NYT

vivek.rao · Post by **vivek.rao** » 21 Nov 2014 17:04

The world according to Gita: Millennia before European thinkers, Gita and Arthashastra embodied Indian tradition of realpolitik

Henry Kissinger

Wonder what is going on in his mind

World order in Hindu cosmology was governed by immutable cycles of an almost inconceivably vast scale — millions of years long. Kingdoms would fall, and the universe would be destroyed, but it would be re-created, and new kingdoms would rise again. The true nature of human experience was known only to those who endured and transcended these temporal upheavals.
The Hindu classic the Bhagavad Gita framed these spirited tests in terms of the relationship between morality and power. Arjuna, “overwhelmed by sorrow” on the eve of battle at the horrors he is about to unleash, wonders what can justify the terrible consequences of war. This is the wrong question, Krishna rejoins. Because life is eternal and cyclical and the essence of the universe is indestructible. Redemption will come through the fulfillment of a preassigned duty, paired with a recognition that its outward manifestations are illusory because “the impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal.” Arjuna, a warrior, has been presented with a war he did not seek. He should accept the circumstances with equanimity and fulfill his role with honor, and must strive to kill and prevail and “should not grieve.”
While Lord Krishna’s appeal to duty prevails and Arjuna professes himself freed from doubt, the cataclysms of the war — described in detail in the rest of the epic — add resonance to his earlier qualms. This central work of Hindu thought embodied both an exhortation to war and the importance not so much of avoiding but of transcending it. Morality was not rejected, but in any given situation the immediate considerations were dominant, while eternity provided a curative perspective. What some readers lauded as a call to fearlessness in battle, Gandhi would praise as his “spiritual dictionary.”
Against the background of the eternal verities of a religion preaching the elusiveness of any single earthly endeavor, the temporal ruler was in fact afforded a wide berth for practical necessities. The pioneering exemplar of this school was the 4th century BC minister Kautilya, credited with engineering the rise of India’s Maurya Dynasty, which expelled Alexander the Great’s successors from northern India and unified the subcontinent for the first time under a single rule.

The Arthashastra sets out, with dispassionate clarity, a vision of how to establish and guard a state while neutralizing, subverting, and (when opportune conditions have been established) conquering its neighbors. The Arthashastra encompasses a world of practical statecraft, not philosophical disputation. For Kautilya, power was the dominant reality. It was multidimensional, and its factors were interdependent. All elements in a given situation were relevant, calculable, and amenable to manipulation toward a leader’s strategic aims. Geography, finance, military strength, diplomacy, espionage, law, agriculture, cultural traditions, morale and popular opinion, rumors and legends, and men’s vices and weaknesses needed to be shaped as a unit by a wise king to strengthen and expand his realm — much as a modern orchestra conductor shapes the instruments in his charge into a coherent tune. It was a combination of Machiavelli and Clausewitz.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 21 Nov 2014 17:07

Roperia wrote:A baki diplomat's conversation was intercepted (by NSA?), where he mentioned that a prominent former SD official was passing on American secrets to them.

This led to several months long FBI investigation eventually leading to raids at RR's home where FBI agents found classified information.

Eavesdropping on Pakistani Official Led to Inquiry of Former U.S. Diplomat | NYT

No cavity search?

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 21 Nov 2014 17:16

That idiot Gardiner Harris ^^: "India’s great hope to save both itself and the world from possible environmental dystopia can be found in the scrub grass outside the village of Neemuch, in India’s western state of Madhya Pradesh. Welspun Energy has constructed what for the moment is Asia’s largest solar plant, a $148 million silent farm of photovoltaic panels on 800 acres of barren soil.

Welspun harvests some of the most focused solar radiation in the world. Dust is so intense that workers must wash each panel every two weeks."

The problem with solar and wind power is that production peaks during the day and people tend to use power most at dusk. So you need conventional generation. Wind and solar power also wreaks havoc on the economics of power companies (at least in the US) because the rates are lower in the evening. This means they can't use the higher charges during the day to subsidize the off peak rate.

Germany has found this out in a big way.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 21 Nov 2014 17:44

Recollections of a Communicator:Robin Raphel played patron's role during Pakistan's proxy war against India
aninews.in | Nov 21st 2014 6:27 PM

New Delhi, Nov.21 (ANI) Twenty years ago this month, I spent a fortnight in the United States as a delegate to the United Nations trying to convince as many diplomats and media persons as possible that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was near normal, and the state would participate in the national and assembly elections.

As Principal Information Officer of the Government of India, and later as advisor to the state government, I had to counter the propaganda which was part of the psychological warfare waged by Pakistan in support of its efforts to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir. The proxy war had erupted in October 1988 with bomb blasts in various parts of Srinagar.

[..]
While the militants received training and arms support from Pakistan, the Western media were egged on to carry a campaign against India for alleged violation of human rights.

A major campaign was sparked off by the western media accusing the security forces of committing mass rape in Kunan Poshpora in March 1991.

A unit of the security forces had conducted search operations in Konan Poshpora on February 23/24, and the next day, the Army unit obtained a clearance certificate and conducted a free medical aid camp in the presence of a representative of the local administration.

Over two weeks later, accusations were made against the army unit of having committed mass rape and the story was broken by the foreign media.

The Army Headquarters asked for a report from the 15 Infantry Division which was based in Srinagar and was responsible for the security operations along the Line of Control and within the state. It denied the allegation and furnished details of the operation.

When the western media continued with the propaganda, the Army Headquarters requested the Press Council of India to investigate the facts. A team including noted journalist B. G. Verghese and Vikram Rao went to the state and gave a report which absolved the Army unit of the accusations.

In my interaction with the foreign correspondents, I became aware that the diplomatic support and patronage was provided by Robin Raphel, then posted in the American Embassy in New Delhi

[..]

In my interactions with the Western Correspondents I became aware that Robin Raphel, then an official in the American Embassy, was actively engaged in persuading them to report 'Human Rights violations' in the State.

It also transpired that she was sympathetic to the Pakistan Taliban in its efforts to take over Afghanistan.

[..]

However, Pakistan has been continuing its efforts to keep the Kashmir issue alive in the international arena. Pakistan had engaged Cassidy and Associates , of which Robin Raphel was a part after her retirement from the US Foreign Service in 2005 , to do lobbying at a cost of 700,000 US dollars a year , plus expenses.

Robin Raphel became an advisor with the U.S. State Department in 2009 when Richard Holbrooke took over as President Obama's Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP).

According to recent reports Robin Raphel is now under a counter intelligence investigation. One hopes the truth will come out. Wait and watch.

Meanwhile, elections will be held for the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been taking keen interest in providing relief to the State in the aftermath of massive floods, is expected address meetings.

Mr. I. Ramamohan Rao is a former Principal Information Officer of the Government of India. He can be reached on his e-mail raoramamohan@hotmail.com. (ANI)

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 21 Nov 2014 18:16

anmol ji, great find. Good to read this.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 21 Nov 2014 18:18

Hamid Mir is also responsible.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 21 Nov 2014 19:26

Narendra Modi ‏@narendramodi

This Republic Day, we hope to have a friend over…invited President Obama to be the 1st US President to grace the occasion as Chief Guest.

Again some lame duck guy!

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 21 Nov 2014 19:36

State dinner equivalent. For the U.S.' sake I hope we get a few orders with TOT hook from the largest and fastest growing market in the world.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 21 Nov 2014 19:56

@NSCPress @NSCPress · 10m 10 minutes ago
@ invite of @narendramodi President Obama will travel to #India in Jan 2015 to participate in Indian Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 21 Nov 2014 20:11

Around the end of their presidential term, US Presidents start thinking about their legacy and then they look towards India, as nowhere else can they get same cozy feeling as in India.

Europeans countries, Japan, South Korea are for Americans just their backwaters, already conquered in World War II, and nothing the US President does there, really raises the prestige of the American President. In Russia, China, etc., US President simply gets tight smiles, few breakthroughs, but mostly is sent home without much to brag about! There is no conquering! The rest of the world is just too tiny weeny to make anybody sit-up.

So India is basically the only place - outside of American sphere of influence, huge, and yet not antagonistic. Always good for photo ops.

On the foreign policy side, BO is hardly leaving behind any enviable record - Libya, Iraq, Syria, China, Russia, Iran ...

It is only in India he can really make some progress, i.e. if he knew how!

habal · Post by **habal** » 21 Nov 2014 20:15

he is a fitting cheap guest for the Republic day. Modi it seems has forgotten a certain Khobragade.

maybe we can decorate the walls behind his seat with photos from Syria, Libya, Iraq etc and his fav bunch of freedom fighters the ISIS.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 21 Nov 2014 20:17

Modi is very good at pataoing Foreign heads of state to come to India.

As with Sharif's visit, this visit is aimed at his domestic audience.

member_24684 · Post by **member_24684** » 21 Nov 2014 20:23

habal wrote:he is a fitting cheap guest for the Republic day. Modi it seems has forgotten a certain Khobragade.

maybe we can decorate the walls behind his seat with photos from Syria, Libya, Iraq etc and his fav bunch of freedom fighters the ISIS.

we don't want too care about those Sh!t Nation ..the Background walls painted with U 2 Dragon lady in Arunachal and INS Jalashwa near Bay of Bengal

Shalav · Post by **Shalav** » 21 Nov 2014 20:27

The Chief Guest of the Republic Day is more than a State Dinner equivalent.

It signals India's long term political and foreign policy framework. Wonder what the BJP and NaMo see as significant? It's probably not BO, just signalling a tilt towards the US perhaps?

FSU HoG's have been invited, but not Russian HoG's!

NSCPress @NSCPress

“@narendramodi President Obama will travel to #India in Jan 2015 to participate in Indian Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest”

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 21 Nov 2014 20:33

So India is basically the only place - outside of American sphere of influence, huge, and yet not antagonistic. Always good for photo ops.

Hopefully it stays so. There is enough amriki influence in Af-Pak and that region doesn't look very stable.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 21 Nov 2014 20:35

The Chief Guest of the Republic Day is more than a State Dinner equivalent.

In 57th Republic day celebrations MMS invited none other than the Chief Terrorist himself., King of the Barbaric nation.

http://www.rediff.com/news/saudiking06.htm

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 21 Nov 2014 20:36

What Modi has got is a media coup for India in the West! Western media has a habit of ignoring India!

Bigger profile in West, is simply good for business!

May be India can convince USA of not trying to keep us down using Pakistan, even as we become more of an independent pole! Just, may be! But let's not lose sleep over that! Otherwise I don't really see, USA making any U-turns in their orientation!

Any real partnership can come about only if USA decides to finish off the cancerous sore that is Pakistan and to denuke it!

Shalav · Post by **Shalav** » 21 Nov 2014 20:49

SBajwa ji

It was not always used wisely!

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 21 Nov 2014 20:52

habal wrote:he is a fitting cheap guest for the Republic day. Modi it seems has forgotten a certain Khobragade.

maybe we can decorate the walls behind his seat with photos from Syria, Libya, Iraq etc and his fav bunch of freedom fighters the ISIS.

Country comes first........rest is indifferent. PM is doing what is best for India.

arun · Post by **arun** » 21 Nov 2014 20:56

Roperia wrote:A baki diplomat's conversation was intercepted (by NSA?), where he mentioned that a prominent former SD official was passing on American secrets to them.

This led to several months long FBI investigation eventually leading to raids at RR's home where FBI agents found classified information.

Eavesdropping on Pakistani Official Led to Inquiry of Former U.S. Diplomat | NYT

Not surprised of this New York Times news article that suggests that notorious India baiter Robin Raphel was passing on information to the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan. Her hatred for India had an Islamic Republic Of Pakistan edge to it.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 21 Nov 2014 21:12

Fact is RR was appointed by the Clinton administration, and created controversies out of thin air even when terrorism was at its peak. This is definitely not a way to help India and Pakistan mutually resolve issues. The creation of hurriyat and the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits also occurred in this time, as RR left for Washington in May 1994.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 21 Nov 2014 21:52

baba invoking prof kailath is nice, but i think he is slamming a niche immigrant for the benefit of his political decisions. not something bad, but something to learn from his astuteness. after all he is om baba, chief of the solo supah pawah ishtill.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 21 Nov 2014 22:00

SajeevJino wrote:
habal wrote:he is a fitting cheap guest for the Republic day. Modi it seems has forgotten a certain Khobragade.

maybe we can decorate the walls behind his seat with photos from Syria, Libya, Iraq etc and his fav bunch of freedom fighters the ISIS.

we don't want too care about those Sh!t Nation ..the Background walls painted with U 2 Dragon lady in Arunachal and INS Jalashwa near Bay of Bengal

This really adds value to the discussion no?

SajeevJino, NaMo is doing what he thinks is the right thing: he is inviting POTUS and by attending, POTUS signals that Agni IV/V are acceptable. Statecraft is not about getting personal, it's about getting what you want.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 21 Nov 2014 22:01

rsingh wrote:
habal wrote:he is a fitting cheap guest for the Republic day. Modi it seems has forgotten a certain Khobragade.

maybe we can decorate the walls behind his seat with photos from Syria, Libya, Iraq etc and his fav bunch of freedom fighters the ISIS.
Country comes first........rest is indifferent. PM is doing what is best for India.

+1

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 21 Nov 2014 22:02

RajeshA wrote:What Modi has got is a media coup for India in the West! Western media has a habit of ignoring India!

Bigger profile in West, is simply good for business!

May be India can convince USA of not trying to keep us down using Pakistan, even as we become more of an independent pole! Just, may be! But let's not lose sleep over that! Otherwise I don't really see, USA making any U-turns in their orientation!

Any real partnership can come about only if USA decides to finish off the cancerous sore that is Pakistan and to denuke it!

They are working towards it. The DoS is slowly being drained of cold war type India haters.

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 21 Nov 2014 22:07

RajeshA wrote:What Modi has got is a media coup for India in the West! Western media has a habit of ignoring India!

Bigger profile in West, is simply good for business!

Saar, most of it will be the usual rubbish promoted as news, some gratuitous references to cows, caste, etc. There will be more focus on the new narrative - global warming and increased coal mining and how India is polluting the world. The NYT coal-mining-in-India article from a few days ago was the initial ranging shot across the bows, so to speak. Oh, and the coverage will be nothing close to the gushing media frenzy we see when someone from GoI goes to the US. Some matter of fact reporting is all we can expect.

On the personal front, given his rhetorical speaking skills, Obama will have a blast like Clinton did, say the right things and impress the (rather easily impressionable) hosts but ultimately nothing will move on the ground. It will be a photo op to burnish his legacy (whatever is left of it). It seems to me that relations with India is becoming like the Israel-Palestine issue for US presidents - they usually look toward it at the close of their terms, as they have nothing else to do, and know they can do nothing concrete on these issues.

I am not impressed by this invite, considering he is now a lame duck (I assume the invite was extended before the elections, during Modi's Sep US visit), and the next campaign for 2016 is about to start in a few months.

Also, looks like the Khobragade issue is well and truly forgotten.

But I am willing to cut Modi some slack, as he may have some other reason that is not apparent to me.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 21 Nov 2014 22:23

With US House of Representatives and US Senate both firmly in Republican hands, Obama is really lame duck if it comes to funding or regulations. But executive power in USA still counts for a lot.

In general, I think, Modi, with a knack for details, can probably talk to the US President far more plainly, than say MMS could. He can really have a "heart-to-heart" discussion of how America looks at the world, and probably also question their logic, perhaps offer new possibilities.

With Modi, everything is on the table, and there are no systemic hangups, which cannot be questioned and changed.

I think Obama would have in his life not met another person with such fresh thinking, able to question historical dynamics. Modi is a great salesman for new ideas. And I think Obama too would appreciate to talk to someone, who can offer newer insights.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 21 Nov 2014 22:45

arshyamJi.

I too am not impressed, and I agree with quite a bit of what you except the Israel-Palestinian issue.

I am also a little disappointed that ModiJi seems to be overly eager in courting US like MMS. Matter of fact, I would add that he is concentrating way too much in his foreign junkets, electioneering in India etc for me taste. This BS visit by Obama will be total waste of time, and like all India US parleys, high on theatrics and lofty rhetoric and very little on substance. DDM will of course have a field day. As RajeshJi pointed out, I will see change in US attitude only when US is serious about stripping TSP of its India-specific terror machine and de-nuking TSP. US has the might and wherewithal to accomplish this. Right now, US is loathe to even mention LeT for fear that it might find its TSP munna. That alone tells me it is still India TSP equal equal, albeit on different planes

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 21 Nov 2014 23:02

Shalav wrote:The Chief Guest of the Republic Day is more than a State Dinner equivalent.

It signals India's long term political and foreign policy framework. Wonder what the BJP and NaMo see as significant? It's probably not BO, just signalling a tilt towards the US perhaps?FSU HoG's have been invited, but not Russian HoG's!“@narendramodi President Obama will travel to #India in Jan 2015 to participate in Indian Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest”

Putin will be in Dilli in December on state visit. No head of State will make 2 official visits in short time unless he / she is Paki looking for Khairat .

Shalav · Post by **Shalav** » 21 Nov 2014 23:24

^^^ Irrelevant.

The State visit could have been postponed to Jan if invite had gone out to Russia.

I'm actually ambivalent about this invite, time will tell.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 22 Nov 2014 00:06

^^^ This is not the time to be inviting Putin to R-Day. If we want everyone from the US, EU, Japan and Oz mad at us, he's the go to guy.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 22 Nov 2014 00:06

RajeshA ^^^ +1

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 22 Nov 2014 00:52

^^You all don't want om-baba to mock & put-in right again with you-kay-rain issues.. no? why give a platform to two black-belt cats to fight on Indic R day?

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 22 Nov 2014 01:23

Meanwhile from Dawn..
Nawaz, Obama and = = type heartburn

stuff

ISLAMABAD: President of United Sates, Barak Obama on Friday night discussed bilateral relations and evolving situation in the region with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over telephone...

...Prime Minister Sharif recalled his warm and friendly meeting with the president in Washington last year and their subsequent interaction at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague i...

The prime minister expressed satisfaction at the direction of Pakistan-US bilateral ties, ...

Obama informed the prime minister of his forthcoming visit to India.

Recalling his invitation extended in Washington, Sharif conveyed the expectation of the people of Pakistan to welcome President Obama to Pakistan sometime in the future. T...
Obama: "..as soon as the situation normalises in the #$!@ .country.

Discussing the regional situation, the prime minister referred to the improvement of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations,

Prime Minister Sharif referred to his visit to India earlier this year, which was aimed at taking Pakistan-India relations forward.

...

“President Obama expressed his understanding for our position,” it added.

And of course..

The prime minister also urged President Obama to take up the cause of Kashmir with the Indian leadership, as its early resolution would bring enduring peace, stability and economic cooperation to the region.

and the routine answer ..

The two leaders agreed to stay engaged to further strengthen Pakistan-US relations in their common desire to promote peace and prosperity

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 22 Nov 2014 02:53

Cosmo_R wrote:^^^ This is not the time to be inviting Putin to R-Day. If we want everyone from the US, EU, Japan and Oz mad at us, he's the go to guy.

Or we can tell the world we are an independent nation and don't do suck up. We just want to be fraands with everyone, facebook style.

In the past 8 years, being everyones dogsbody didn't really endear us to anyone. Playing by their rules and being the good guy wont do much. The PRC doesn't care a darn about what others think.

Shalav · Post by **Shalav** » 22 Nov 2014 03:18

Cosmo_R wrote:^^^ This is not the time to be inviting Putin to R-Day. If we want everyone from the US, EU, Japan and Oz mad at us, he's the go to guy.

Huh... Who said that?

Further why worry about who's mad at us, so long if whoever we invite is good for us (hypothetically speaking).

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 22 Nov 2014 03:22

MMS did the leg work up here!!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/45235766.cms

/I did not say anything.