India-US Strategic News and Discussion

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 07 Nov 2010 04:44

X post: from India Today
The two faces of Barack Obama

...President Barack Obama, battered at home, badly needs a break. The festive lights, however, might only expose a dubious policy as he winks at his wartime ally, Pakistan, with one face and smiles at his peacetime friend, India, with another. The text of his Delhi visit can be read only in the context of the Obama presidency's biggest foreign policy challenge: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Obama prepared for Delhi by giving Pakistan $2 billion, which means a fresh warehouse of arms.
...

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 07 Nov 2010 05:34

Obama hints on easing Export control reform, touts India as the next big trading partner..
Obama looks for home run in India pitch
TOI

''Even as we strengthen our national security, we should make sure that unnecessary barriers don't stand in the way of high-tech trade between our countries. We will work with India to fundamentally reform our control on exports, which will allow greater cooperation in a range of high-tech sectors to strengthen our relation,'' he said commenting on the issue of dual use technologies, something the Indian side has been lobbying for a while. He, however, in the same breath, asked the Indian side to reciprocate and reduce trade barriers. The easing of export rules could benefit entities like DRDO and Isro, which have been denied technologies from the US in the past.

''There is no reason why India cannot be our top trading partner. Of all the goods that India imports less than 10% comes from the US. Of all the goods America exports to the world less than 2% go to India,'' Obama said. Here he mentioned that US exports to India is less than US exports to The Netherlands, a country with a population less than that of Mumbai.

''Several landmark deals have been done shortly before my arrival here. Boeing is going to sell dozens of planes to India and GE is going to sell hundreds of electric engines. The deals are worth USD 10 billion and will create more than 50,000 jobs in the US,'' he said, making a strong start to his India visit.

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 07 Nov 2010 05:39

ROUND 1 - US to support India's full membership in NSG
TOI

In a significant announcement during President Barack Obama's visit, the US on Saturday said it will support India's full membership in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and three other multilateral export control regimes.

Part of its series of changes to the export control system as it applies to India, the US will support India's full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes which will make it easier for India to get dual-use technology from member countries though it is subject to rules of individual nations.

"These are the NSG -- what is called Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)-- the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Australian Group and the Wassanaar Arrangement," Mike Froman, deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs, said in a statement. It will also provide India with a say in framing export control rules.

"Now, this membership will come in a phased manner. And we will consult with our regime members to encourage the evolution of a membership criteria of these regimes consistent with maintaining their core principles. "So as the membership criteria of these four regimes evolves, we intend to support India's full membership in them. And at the same time, India will take steps to fully adopt the regime's export control requirements to reflect its prospective membership," Forman goes on to say recognising, "the nature of the strategic relationship we now have with India."

Three Indian entities -- Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO), Indian Space Research ( ISR0) and the Hyderabad-headquartered Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) -- will be taken off embargoed list. "The second element of the export control reform package being announced is that we will remove India's defense and space-related entities from the US entity list. The entity list at one point had, I believe, 220 Indian entities on it. And there are only four left. And today we will be announcing a removal of three of them," the US statement said.

"And now removing these entities from the entity list will aloow for greater trade and cooperation in civilian space and defence, and enable our governments to focus on other outstanding barriers that hinder expanded bilateral high-tech trade. And this a very significant step forward," the statement said.

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 07 Nov 2010 05:53

US media hails Obama's India visit

Mainstream US media has underlined the importance of President Barack Obama's 'passage to India', saying it comes at an opportune moment for both countries. 'Indians are still feeling anxious and insufficiently loved. But the trip is a clear a sign of the importance that Obama places on the relationship. As he should,' said the New York Times in an editorial titled 'Working With India.' 'The Clinton and Bush administrations talked that way, too. President George W. Bush was so eager to woo New Delhi that he gave away the store in a 2006 nuclear energy deal,' it said suggesting 'It is up to Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take this complex relationship to a more sustainable level.'

The San Francisco Chronicle editorially commenting on 'President Obama's passage to India' noted that 'over the past several years, India has become one of the United States' most important emerging economic relationships'. The Chronicle suggested 'this will be more of a ceremonial trip than a substantive one.' 'But even ceremonial trips can go a long way toward building relationships, and there are few relationships that will be more important to America's long-term future than this one,' it said.

The Washington Post said: 'It may look as if President Obama is fleeing the country for friendlier shores' after his Democratic party's rout in Tuesday's elections. 'In fact, his tour of India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea is important.' India, it said, 'ought to be a focal point of US policy since it's a relationship that 'is going to be indispensable to shaping the 21st century,' as the White House puts it. 'Yet so far this administration's partnership with New Delhi has been less warm and productive than that of the Bush administration,' the Post said. It advised Obama to 'offer Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the assurance that the United States is committed to maintaining stability in the region - beginning with Afghanistan - and that India will have US support in checking overreaching by China.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 07 Nov 2010 06:21

I expect more spin than substance when it comes to dealing with unkil in any form. Same story replayed during sri obama's visit as well. All that $10bn deals signed and all also look suspiciously convenient as to be pre-planned MoU style spin-traps played for the cameras rather than any thing more enduring and committed, IMVHO.

Sooner this trip is over and sri obama leaves our shores, the easier to will be to get done things kept in abeyance thus far, like prosecuting J&K stone-throwers, property-damagers and instigators under law. Already, conveniently, Economist rag, NYT rag, LAT rag etc have orcheatratedly chimed in the K-word when reporting on the visit. Etc.

Bharath.Subramanyam · Post by **Bharath.Subramanyam** » 07 Nov 2010 06:35

Two interesting articles from M.R.Venkatesh:

http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisp ... px?id=1479

http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisp ... px?id=1480

"

the Indian Ambassador to the US, Ms Meera Shankar and Mr. Vinay Kwatra (an officer in our embassy) reportedly made a (secret?) visit to the Wal-Mart Headquarters, Bentonville, Arkansas on 23 July 2010. One is not certain whether service rules permit such visits, especially when the company in question is at the centre of a policy conundrum back home in India.

It seems entry of US retail companies into India is already decided. May be MEA officials are already becoming 'fixers' for Indian political side.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 07 Nov 2010 06:56

^^^ We've had thousands of our farmers die because of US food conglom, now it is the turn for the small store owner. What a wonderful, pro aam admy government we have.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 07 Nov 2010 07:21

Jarita wrote:^^^ We've had thousands of our farmers die because of US food conglom, now it is the turn for the small store owner. What a wonderful, pro aam admy government we have.

Can you please provide open source evidence of the above? Links from reputable sources please.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 07 Nov 2010 07:47

^ Read about what happened to cotton farmers in Andhra Pradesh. It was due to GM cotton seeds and defective pesticides.
Note: Ofcourse most of the blame lies on corrupt politicians and distributors.

arun · Post by **arun** » 07 Nov 2010 07:54

X Posted from the Mumbai 26/11 thread.

Some reactions to the US Presidents speech at the Taj Hotel which unsurprisingly was devoid of any mention of the role of the US‘ “Major Non NATO Ally“, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the 26/11 Islamic terrorist attack on Mumbai.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy:

"It was the first address by the US President at a place (Taj Hotel) which saw the biggest terror attack on India.... It was a complete disappointment as the world and the United States had proof that the attack was planned on Pakistani soil by its intelligence agencies. He had words which were not backed with action and intent,"

CPI National Secretary D Raja:

"It is not at all surprising. The US pursues double standards. When it is attacked, it takes one position. When any other country is attacked it takes another stand. Our government should take note of this."

Read it all:

Why Obama made no mention of Pakistan on terror issue: BJP, CPI

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 07 Nov 2010 08:13

Walmart is a big vaccuum that sucks money out of communities and countries and transfers it to China.

Tons of imports will come from China by the boat load and that will destroy any prospects of a manufacturing base in India just as it did in the US.

Also, if its that good for India, why haven't they expanded their joint venture with Bharati ?

ShivaS · Post by **ShivaS** » 07 Nov 2010 08:23

Cosmo_R wrote:
Jarita wrote:^^^ We've had thousands of our farmers die because of US food conglom, now it is the turn for the small store owner. What a wonderful, pro aam admy government we have.
Can you please provide open source evidence of the above? Links from reputable sources please.

Pleaser ead about the most recent banana (export) spat between US and EU. To start with.

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 07 Nov 2010 08:31

arun wrote:X Posted from the Mumbai 26/11 thread.

Some reactions to the US Presidents speech at the Taj Hotel which unsurprisingly was devoid of any mention of the role of the US‘ “Major Non NATO Ally“, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the 26/11 Islamic terrorist attack on Mumbai.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy:

"It was the first address by the US President at a place (Taj Hotel) which saw the biggest terror attack on India.... It was a complete disappointment as the world and the United States had proof that the attack was planned on Pakistani soil by its intelligence agencies. He had words which were not backed with action and intent,"

CPI National Secretary D Raja:

"It is not at all surprising. The US pursues double standards. When it is attacked, it takes one position. When any other country is attacked it takes another stand. Our government should take note of this."

Read it all:

Why Obama made no mention of Pakistan on terror issue: BJP, CPI

BJP distances itself from Rudys views

Rudy slams Obama, leaves BJP red-faced

BJP spokesperson Rudy’s remarks also went against his party line. The party generally refrains from criticising a visiting head of state when the visit has just begun.

Rudy’s remarks left his party red-faced, taking some senior BJP leaders by surprise. Many of these leaders are part of the core group of the BJP that will meet on Sunday at the residence of L.K. Advani to decide on the talking points between Obama and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj during their meeting on Monday.

Young gun shoots, BJP scurries to ‘calibrate’

If Barack Obama refrained from putting a foot in his mouth, the BJP’s young blood has obliged with gusto. The BJP was tonight struggling to “calibrate” its hasty criticism of Obama for not mentioning Pakistan in his address at the Taj hotel. In evening hindsight, it appeared to have dawned on the party that the attack was not only “ill-timed” but had also dragged the “bilateral relationship” into a controversial frame.

The knee-jerk response during the day also betrayed the inexperience of the second line of leadership of the BJP, the core base of which has always been pro-US. It also proved that the Opposition party is yet to fill the vacuum left by veterans who could come up with nuanced responses when faced with multi-dimensional issues such as diplomacy.

Some in the BJP said it was “impolitic” of Rudy to criticise Obama when he had set foot in India just hours earlier. It was also “ill-timed”, they said, considering the response Obama and First Lady Michelle got in Mumbai from a cross-section of people that included businessmen, employees of Taj hotel and students. “There is every chance we may come across as cussed and mean, the way we were looked at when we opposed the Indo-US civil nuclear deal,” a source said. “We should have waited for Obama to speak in Parliament and judge him.”

Another source said it was time India snapped out of the gridlock that has linked it with Pakistan and now China in its relations with other countries. “Let us do business with the US as US instead of looking at things through Pakistan’s lens.” Sources said senior party leaders, including Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Sinha and Jaswant, would meet at L.K. Advani’s residence tomorrow to discuss the points the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha would raise when she meets Obama on Monday. The BJP is expected to “calibrate” its position after tomorrow’s meeting.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 07 Nov 2010 08:36

IMHO, Obama is Mr Jackal, while Hyde has already taken over the legal aspects.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 08:44

Protesters raise Bhopal, Headley issues

http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/07/stories ... 910900.htm

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 08:52

U.S., India ‘constructing paradigm beyond Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty'

http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/07/stories ... 840100.htm

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 09:30

Kashmir could crop up in ‘private conversation’

http://www.hindustantimes.com/americas/ ... 22927.aspx

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 07 Nov 2010 09:42

abhishek_sharma wrote:Kashmir could crop up in ‘private conversation’

http://www.hindustantimes.com/americas/ ... 22927.aspx

This silly dance may seem comical but there is more than meets the eye. USA has ostensibly and repeatedly rebuffed TSP desire for US to mediate the so called "dispute". If that were so, then why does TSP keep bringng that up? I mean if I were not interested in doing something and somebody keeps pestering me, at some point I would tell him to f**k off. So what this tells me, and we all know is that there is some tacit agreement between US &TSP, and a desire on part of US to meddle in Kashmir. The second issue which we can speculate, but not very clear on is how is TSP so cock-sure that in any potential mediation, hypothetical or otherwise, US will side with them and the valley will fall in their laps? But I guess the sheer atmosphercis with India, US, TSP, and the APHC ("Kashmiri people") sitting across the same table will put India on the back foot, and thats what TSP is counting on.

sumishi · Post by **sumishi** » 07 Nov 2010 09:46

abhishek_sharma wrote:Protesters raise Bhopal, Headley issues...

Mumbai terror suspect David Headley was ‘~~rogue~~ US secret agent’
Hmm... If my info is correct, both SeeIA (ISI mentor) and the messiah are linked with Unkil.
'Rouge' is good. if you want to disown someone to take the fall, label 'rouge.'

Jeez.. look at the fawning establishment officials!
"I have no use for people who throw there weight around as celebrities, or for those who fawn over you just because you are famous." -- Walt Disney

Hiten · Post by **Hiten** » 07 Nov 2010 09:48

Neshant wrote:Walmart is a big vaccuum that sucks money out of communities and countries and transfers it to China.

Tons of imports will come from China by the boat load and that will destroy any prospects of a manufacturing base in India just as it did in the US.

Also, if its that good for India, why haven't they expanded their joint venture with Bharati ?

Why can't we include clauses in the agreement before giving them permission to set up shop here, that would say that 60/70% [or some mutually beneficial number ] of all goods it would hawk in its stores would have to be sourced from Indian manufacturers?

It may nor may not be their standard practice elsewhere, but considering the size of the Indian market and the possibility of entering markets in the neighboring countries, setting up a supply chain involving Indian manufacturers can be made in to a profitable venture.

Besides, clauses could also be included whereby these gargantuan grocery stores are bound to offer Indian-made goods in its outlets around the world, giving our manufacturers unprecedented access to market prevention out of its reach due to the scale of its own operations

Practices that would probably be unprofitable elsewhere, like setting up a separate supply chain that does not involve Chinese suppliers, need not be so in case of its Indian operations thanks to the market size India has to offer.

As for the single family operation of grocery stores, well if the 3rd gen of the family operates out of the same shop set up by the grand dad, with no expansion in business or scale of operation, its closure need not be such a bad outcome IMO.

The other such single-family operations in a city, in order to remain competitive & possibly even outrun them phoren grocery stores, could come together forming co-operative societies, pooling together their resources doing away with common overlapping expenditures, streamlining their operations thereby evolving into entities that would not only not go under after the arrival of foreign stores but maybe, just maybe, some day itself set up stores worldwide

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Nov 2010 09:54

CRamS, in the 1999 Kargil issue, Clinton assured Nawaz Sharif and said that openly (for India to know) that he would take a personal interest in resolving the Kashmir dispute. The US will not let go of an opportunity to meddle in a dispute like this.

As for your.

. . . how is TSP so cock-sure that in any potential mediation, hypothetical or otherwise, US will side with them and the valley will fall in their laps?

apart from the 'atmospherics' that you mentioned, Pakistan is emboldened by the consistent anti-India stance by all the US administration vis-a-vis J&K, the lack of punch from India for successive terrorist attacks stretching back to decades, the Indian generosity in returning captured Pakistani men & territory in wars without resolving the issue etc.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 09:56

^ People like Najam Sethi always mention that if there is a resolution, they will gain something from it. In return, they will reduce/end terrorism. In 1963, Bhutto was willing to give a small part of Jammu to India. They even wanted Ladakh. What did we ask for? LoC = IB.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 09:58

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-co ... d/707689/0

At the same time, the President put the onus on India to play its strong part as well, asking New Delhi to boost the country’s infrastructure and lift barriers in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, retail and telecom, as they made it difficult to do business with India. And he also sought to sidestep his pet criticism of outsourcing and the fear Indian companies held for Americans by saying they were “old stereotypes and old concerns” that ignored the modern reality. “There are many Americans whose only experience of trade and globalisation is a shuttered factory. Or jobs being shipped overseas. And there still exists a caricature of India as a land of call centres and backoffices that cost American jobs. That’s a real perception,” the President said. “Here in India, there are many who see the arrival of American companies and products as a threat to shopkeepers and to India’s ancient and proud culture. But these old stereotypes, these old concerns, ignore today’s reality. In 2010 trade between our countries is not just a one-way street of American jobs and companies moving to India. It is a dynamic two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth and higher liviing standards in both our countries. And that is the truth.”

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 10:38

http://thepage.time.com/2010/11/06/in-i ... ore-185538

James McNerney, Boeing chairman of the board, is in Mumbai to participate in the US-India Business Council sessions today. This morning he had a brief conversation with the pool, in which he said the company's negotiations to sell C-17 transport planes to the Indian government were not done yet (though the White House advised of a deal closure a couple of hours later).

Speaking before the announcement, McNerney said the president's advocacy on behalf of his and other US companies was helpful in moving along commercial contracts.

"Having the president here, it helps," McNerney said. "Ever since the civil nuclear deal which really brought closer ties between India and the United States in a lot of areas, I think the follow-on impact of that has been closer military ties. For the president to state as a priority, by his presence that closer cooperation, sharing technology across the two countries, can only help. And in this case, it has."

He also talked briefly about outsourcing by American companies, suggesting that it may have gone too far.
"Big companies like Boeing have gone through a period of making their business models very horizontal … a lot of global cooperation, a lot of outsourcing … I think we’re all wrestling with that model. It’s become overextended in some cases … My guess is you'll see more investment ... You’ll still see a lot of global cooeratpion … but somewhat less outsourcing. That's just my take."

vic · Post by **vic** » 07 Nov 2010 10:44

"Now, this membership will come in a phased manner. And we will consult with our regime members to encourage the evolution of a membership criteria of these regimes consistent with maintaining their core principles. "So as the membership criteria of these four regimes evolves, we intend to support India's full membership in them. And at the same time, India will take steps to fully adopt the regime's export control requirements to reflect its prospective membership," Forman goes on to say recognising, "the nature of the strategic relationship we now have with India."

Vague assurances only IMHO

arjunm · Post by **arjunm** » 07 Nov 2010 11:25

Lydia Pollgreen and Mark Landler wrote a front page article in Saturday's New York Times about India's Pakistan strategy
that causes worry to US. The Pakistanis are complaining about India's "Cold Start" military doctrine, a quick military action inside Pakistan in the event of any further Mumbai type terrorist attack from Paki soil.
The doctrine has been carefully designed to avoid crossing Pakistan’s nuclear red lines through large-scale offensive operations with Strike Corps deep into Pakistan. By limiting the application of force to divisional-sized thrusts across the international boundary, it carefully avoids risking escalation of any future conflict to the nuclear level.’

NEW DELHI — Senior American military commanders have sought to press India to formally disavow an obscure military doctrine that they contend is fueling tensions between India and Pakistan and hindering the American war effort in Afghanistan.

But with President Obama arriving in India on Saturday for a closely watched three-day visit, administration officials said they did not expect him to broach the subject of the doctrine, known informally as Cold Start. At the most, these officials predicted, Mr. Obama will quietly encourage India’s leaders to do what they can to cool tensions between these nuclear-armed neighbors.

That would be a victory for India, which denies the very existence of Cold Start, a plan to deploy new ground forces that could strike inside Pakistan quickly in the event of a conflict. India has argued strenuously that the United States, if it wants a wide-ranging partnership of leading democracies, has to stop viewing it through the lens of Pakistan and the Afghanistan war.

It is also a victory for those in the administration who agree that the United States and India should focus on broader concerns, including commercial ties, military sales, climate change and regional security. However vital the Afghan war effort, officials said, it has lost out in the internal debate to priorities like American jobs and the rising role of China.

“There are people in the administration who want us to engage India positively,” said an administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations. “They don’t care about Afghanistan. Then there are people, like Petraeus, who have wars to fight.”

Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top commander in Afghanistan, is among those who have warned internally about the dangers of Cold Start, according to American and Indian officials. Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Richard C. Holbrooke, the special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, share these fears.
The strategy calls for India to create fast-moving battle groups that could deliver a contained but sharp retaliatory ground strike inside Pakistan within three days of suffering a terrorist attack by militants based in Pakistan, yet not do enough damage to set off a nuclear confrontation.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly stressed to the United States that worries about Cold Start are at the root of their refusal to redeploy forces away from the border with India so that they can fight Islamic militants in the frontier region near Afghanistan. That point was made most recently during a visit to Washington last month by Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

The administration raised the issue of Cold Start last November when India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, visited Washington, Indian and American officials said. Indian officials told the United States that the strategy was not a government or military policy, and that India had no plans to attack Pakistan. Therefore, they added, it should have no place on Mr. Obama’s agenda in India.

For at least the president’s first stop, in the commercial capital, Mumbai, it almost certainly will not. With a huge delegation of more than 200 business executives trailing Mr. Obama, the emphasis will be on how the United States and India can expand economic ties in a way that benefits both countries.

The two countries are expected to sign a $5.8 billion deal to supply Boeing C-17 transport planes to the Indian military, one of several lucrative multiyear agreements to supply India with military hardware. The United States is eager to strengthen military ties with India, partly to make it a counterweight to China, which is flexing its muscles militarily and economically.

“President Obama intends this trip to be — and intends our policy to be — a full embrace of India’s rise,” Thomas E. Donilon, the national security adviser, said to reporters on Air Force One en route to India.

For Mr. Obama, politically wounded by the midterm elections and high unemployment at home, such deals are also important to bolster his argument that the relationship between the United States and India can create American jobs rather than simply siphoning them away.
placate the Pakistanis.”

Lydia Polgreen reported from New Delhi, and Mark Landler from Washington. David E. Sanger contributed reporting from Washington.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/world ... india.html

csharma · Post by **csharma** » 07 Nov 2010 11:55

So India cannot create means to retaliate against a terror strike. India should just shut up and take as many terror strikes as the neighbouring country decides to deliver. That seems to be the solution that is coming from India;s strategic partner while it provides billions of dollars of arms to the country that is behind the terror strikes.

darshan · Post by **darshan** » 07 Nov 2010 12:03

IMO, the spending of billions is the decision of Indian politicians and not necessarily americans forcing Indian hand. And it is also obviously understandable as many Indian politicians would have lost lot of black money that was outside India since 2007.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Nov 2010 12:03

csharma wrote:So India cannot create means to retaliate against a terror strike. India should just shut up and take as many terror strikes as the neighbouring country decides to deliver. That seems to be the solution that is coming from India;s strategic partner while it provides billions of dollars of arms to the country that is behind the terror strikes.

csharma, India has no right to blame others for what completely is its own making.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 07 Nov 2010 12:09

American Sikhs Decry Screenings

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/us/07turban.html

vic · Post by **vic** » 07 Nov 2010 12:25

Neshant wrote:Walmart is a big vaccuum that sucks money out of communities and countries and transfers it to China.

Tons of imports will come from China by the boat load and that will destroy any prospects of a manufacturing base in India just as it did in the US.

Also, if its that good for India, why haven't they expanded their joint venture with Bharati ?

AGREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Nov 2010 12:34

C17, F16, F18, M777, GE414, AH64D, Chinooks all help in Cold Start

...all such doctrines have a strong air strike and air mobility angle. C130J is specifically for SF units which can target pakistan terror camps.

all of these are assets which can be used to target pakistan.

hence the americans themselves in exchange for money are pumping up and aiding the development of indian offensive and cold start doctrines.

moreover the withdrawl of sanctions on drdo and bdl will only help india make cheaper and better missiles to pound pakistan with.

all in all, it sounds like lip service is being paid to pakistani concerns by the clever americans while aiding india on defence items.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 07 Nov 2010 14:51

Obama missed an historic opportunity at the Taj in underlining the US's stand on anti-India terror from Pak.The sad fact is that India is more "Christian" than the US.Let me explain.Christ taught his followers that when struck by an enemy,we must "turn the other cheek" to our .India appears to have been doing that countless number of times when dealt vicious terror blows by Paki interests.Contrast this attitude of India's ,especially after the Parliament and 26/11 atacks,with that of the US.India restrained itaself militarily,but the US after 9/11 went in and invaded not just Afghanistan but Iraq also on the most despicable lies about Iraqi/Saddam's WMDs.The US cared a hoot for world opinion and further disgraced itself with the war crimes committed at Abu Grahib and elsewhere,including its secret rendtion flights.

In a media report,a US politico said that he had never come across such an arrogant man as Obama.This is in ample evidence thus far into his visit. His refusal to even smack Pak on the wrists for 26/11 has come as a rude shock to even the most die-hard supporters in India. In this ,he has shown himself to be completely out of touch with Indian sentiment,more concerned with US military and commercial interests than truly trying to establish an equal strategic partnership with India,.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 07 Nov 2010 15:16

I personally think, that at Mumbai 26/11 memorial service, there was no need to talk about the shitt to our West. At some other occasion in India however he should condemn Pakistani terrorism.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 07 Nov 2010 15:43

Lets be straight about it. US is financing a country promoting terrorism in India. If India was doing the same, you can be sure US would more than give a speach about it. In fact India itself might be attacked.

US is not an ally of India and there's no reason India should treat it as such. They have their own interests as does India. The plan to play both sides should not be rewarded IMO.

Still, this visit need not be a failure. Focus on the primary purpose of the visit which is promoting bilateral trade. Leave aside the crocodile tears & drama of "we will never forget mumbai" which Obama tried to push. That was a blunder in my opinion. Roll out the red carpet for the man but keep it strictly business.

Chandragupta · Post by **Chandragupta** » 07 Nov 2010 15:49

Shri MMS should give his Obama appeasement a break. There was no need to break protocol & go to the airport to receive him, specially after Obama looks so focused on squeezing & screwing India at every single chance he gets. What a show of servility.

Juggi G · Post by **Juggi G** » 07 Nov 2010 16:06

Pariahs No More? ISRO, DRDO to be Off Entities List

While the formal announcement is expected only on Monday, the US has decided to take ISRO and Four of its Subsidiaries and DRDO and its Subsidiaries off its Entities List.

A Significant Removal from the Entities List is expected to be Bharat Dynamics Ltd with its Four Subsidiaries,

Hinting at Future Indo-US Cooperation on Missile Defence, because BDL is Part of India's Missile Technology Activities.

Juggi G · Post by **Juggi G** » 07 Nov 2010 16:09

$10 Billion Just a Blip, US Sees $1 Trillion Opportunity in 20 Yrs

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 07 Nov 2010 16:10

Lets be straight about it. US is financing a country promoting terrorism in India.

Neshant Ji, lets also be clear about one thing, India too is doing nothing about it. The US atleast is striking inside Pakistan, probing and softening them with helipcopter and SF raids inside it's territory. India is getting WKK's, hugging Gilani's at SeS's, Thimphu's and losing strategic space by delinking terror and talks and conducting Aman Ki tamasha's and mouthing cliches and platitudes like a "Stable Pakistan is blah blah". What or who are we then to have expectations how US should deal with Pakistan.

After 26-11, i had said a military action might be counterproductive at that time. But we should demand before talks that the ISI and PA be got firmly under the Civil dispensation demonstrably by the Paki Govt and the perpetrators got to justice. We should have leveraged getting that result with the US. We might in retrospect have made better progress. There is no talk today towards that. And if thats an impossibility for Pakistan to do, then whats the point of SeS or Thimphu. India has taken no stance really not even the minimal required.

Juggi G · Post by **Juggi G** » 07 Nov 2010 16:14

Obama Brings Home the Bacon From India

Obama Lands in India, Strategic Longest Foreign Country Stop of Presidency