India-US Relations : News and Discussion- II

[ramana]

That HT article claims that the goal of US-India bilateral talks is to increase trade to $500 billion in 5 years!? This would make India the 2 or 3rd largest trading partner after Canada and China perhaps even more than Mexico.
Today, US-India trade is around $100 billion in goods and services. The nominal increase is around $5-6 billion each year. So what Secretary Lurch is suggesting seems implausible. Has anyone in the NDA government saying anything like this? SS or Jaitly?

It may be possible to achieve this target by 2025.

Defies all commercial logic.

Not to mention rule of 72.

[ramana]

Listening to Kerry one comes to the following conclusion
1) U.S politicians are affected by the Russian bug and they will not miss any opportunity to shake hands with ISIS types in an effort to defeat Russia. They are least concerned about Human beings world wide and will tell the world their own version of who is the bad guy and who is good. One of the major destabilizing factor in the world today is the U.S dumb ass politicians who are least bothered about Democracy and people's voices worldwide. In the powerplay of the world powers the Russians seems to have better common sense except the recent moves to antagonize India which can only speed up their irreverence in the world stage. The solution is taking back POK and linking with Afghanistan. Baluchistan and Sindhudesh can also find their freedom. After this no one will really need Pakistan.
2) The Indian side seem to go too much with what has been agreed what has been achieved etc. I dont think that the U.S do really care about these agreements. If Pakistan discovers large amount of oil in Muridke just below LET office, expect Kerry to land in Pakistan and Kiss JEM chief on both his cheeks and hand over military gear to target Indians.
3) Increasing our trade with the U.S is a good sign, but lets not just do this only with the U.S but we must be the top trading partner (at least in the top three if not one) of all the countries in the world. Give the task to India's ambassadors and ask them to meet targets. We must be able to achieve this by 2019.

It goes back in European history.

- The Byzantines supported the Umayyad invasion of Spain to undercut the Catholics.
- The Ottomans supported Martin Luther to divide the Catholic power in Central Europe.
- Carter the paragon of Human rights supported the Mujahidin in Afghanistan. Brzezinski boasted about it.
All summed up in "Ends justify the means"

[krishna_krishna]

So Modi took care of this double blow.[/quote]

Ramana add to that baba is also traveling to masa at same time.

[Vayutuvan]

I was not aware of Penny Pritzker. She is The US Secy. of Commerce and also one of the wealthiest Americans - ~2 billion USD worth of assets.

[srin]

Geelani got a Indian passport issued to visit his ailing daughter in Saudi Arabia.
Its a travesty of US that they gave him visa to visit US during Modi's visit to do equal= equal.

Geelani should have been refused a visa for supporting Kashmiri terrorism.


So Modi took care of this double blow.

They didn't give visa to Modi. Yet, they don't mind giving it to Geelani.

Also, when applying for the US Visa, I had to answer questions if I had criminal record, etc. Wonder what he filled up.

[saip]

It would be interesting to find out what he answered for the following questions on Form D-160 (US Visa Form)

1. Have you ever been arrested or convicted for any offense or crime, even though subject of a pardon, amnesty, or other similar action?
2. Do you seek to engage in terrorist activities while in the United States or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities?
3. Have you ever or do you intend to provide financial assistance or other support to terrorists or terrorist organizations?
4. Are you a member or representative of a terrorist organization?

[Prem]

What's Happening in NYC
NSFW/
But many kids there too.

lad in little other than body paint, these dancers stunned tourists and whoever else happened to walk by on New York City's Times Square.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=39&v=orZ5z_Y_cKU

[Amber G.]

From WSJ:

Modi to Make Splashy Appearance in U.S.

Splashy Appearance in U.S.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak at U.N., meet with President Obama and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg

MUMBAI—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned what might have been a quick cameo at a United Nations summit this week into a high-profile tour of the U.S. in his latest push to raise India’s global profile.

Mr. Modi’s six-day visit, which begins Thursday and will combine political hobnobbing in New York with a tour of Silicon Valley, comes two days after the arrival of another Asian leader: China’s President Xi Jinping.

Since coming to power 16 months ago, Mr. Modi has brought India closer to the U.S. as China’s foreign policy across Asia has grown more assertive. Mr. Modi’s first official visit to the U.S. was in September 2014, and he hosted President Barack Obama in India in January. Both countries have expressed concern about conflicts in the South China Sea that involve Beijing.

Mr. Modi and Mr. Obama are scheduled to meet on Monday.

“The U.S.-India relationship is a bright spot on the international landscape and is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world,” Secretary of State John Kerry told a news conference in Washington on Tuesday.

Mr. Modi will address a United Nations session on sustainable development, where he plans to underscore how India’s views are aligned with the new set of development goals the U.N. plans to adopt for member nations.

Mr. Modi may use his visit to the U.N., where he will also attend a summit hosted by Mr. Obama on U.N. peacekeeping, to advance India’s longtime goal of obtaining a permanent seat on the Security Council. In a statement this week, Mr. Modi said that as the U.N. celebrates its 70th anniversary, it was “an apposite moment for reform discussions to be accelerated.”

Mr. Modi will also attend an event with media executives this week hosted by Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp and executive co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, and James Murdoch, chief executive of 21st Century Fox, according to people with knowledge of the event. News Corp owns Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, and was part of the same company as 21st Century Fox until mid-2013.

On Saturday, Mr. Modi begins a weekend visit to Silicon Valley to drum up investment interest in India and support for New Delhi’s effort to upgrade the country’s technology infrastructure. Global investors are increasingly investing in Indian startups, and there is a greater presence of Indians at the highest rungs of U.S. technology companies.

“People are excited,” said Matthew Howard, managing partner at Norwest Venture Partners, a California-based venture-capital firm. “It really continues to help highlight India.”

Some investors said they hope to use the visit to ask for simplification in the red tape and confusing tax laws they face when looking to put money into India.

“Investors don’t mind paying taxes, they just don’t like ambiguity,” said Manu Rekhi, director at venture-capital firm Inventus Capital Partners.

On Sunday, Mr. Modi will attend an event in San Jose where more than 30 startups from India and the U.S. will showcase their work.

In keeping with his image as one of the most prolific politicians on social media—Mr. Modi has 30 million likes on his Facebook page—the prime minister will also take part in a town hall-style session with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. He will also tour the offices of Google Inc., headed by India-born Sundar Pichai, and will visit the base of electric-car maker Tesla Motors Inc.

“We will discuss some global issues and issues relating to India, particularly on the economy and society,” Mr. Modi said in a statement.

Mr. Modi will also give a speech to a sold-out stadium of Indian expatriates at the SAP Center in San Jose on Sunday. Organizers say they received 45,000 applications for passes to the event, more than double the SAP Center’s seating capacity.

“The Indian diaspora is hungry for recognition,” said Puneet Manchanda, professor of marketing at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. “People just love the fact that their motherland is being recognized.”

[pravula]

What's Happening in NYC
NSFW/
But many kids there too.

lad in little other than body paint, these dancers stunned tourists and whoever else happened to walk by on New York City's Times Square.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=39&v=orZ5z_Y_cKU

AFAIK, it is legal to be topless in NYC and body paint is considered clothing.

[ramana]

Saw the offensive billboard again at Dixon Landing Road exit on N 880 in Milpitas.
The organization promoting it is Modifail.com.
Please do analytics on the site.

Said to be

Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA) is using billboards to raise public awareness about Indian Prime Minister

and looks like an organized campaign to troll Modi with Congress backing and seculars trucked from Texas and East Coast....

http://newamericamedia.org/2015/09/prot ... -visit.php

Looks like same fellows trolled Modi in New York earlier.

Fellow by name Anirvan Chatterjee is the spokesperson.

[Amber G.]

After all the whippings of "Scholars" to Silicon Valley CEO's
Meanwhile - Here is the CEO of Google..(A mutu? ) welcoming Indian PM

[vera_k]

Saw the offensive billboard again at Dixon Landing Road exit on N 880 in Milpitas.
The organization promoting it is Modifail.com.

Just reinforces PM Modi's stature as a great leader. Yesterday President Xi met with Zuck, Cook, and so on in Seattle and the streets outside were lined with protestors. President Obama's visit to India also saw protests Indian style with various things set on fire.

[Melwyn]

Saw the offensive billboard again at Dixon Landing Road exit on N 880 in Milpitas.
The organization promoting it is Modifail.com.
Please do analytics on the site.

Said to be

Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA) is using billboards to raise public awareness about Indian Prime Minister

and looks like an organized campaign to troll Modi with Congress backing and seculars trucked from Texas and East Coast....

http://newamericamedia.org/2015/09/prot ... -visit.php

Looks like same fellows trolled Modi in New York earlier.

Fellow by name Anirvan Chatterjee is the spokesperson.

No offence but whats with this chatterjees , banerjees, ghoshs , sens etc perpetually waging a commi Jihad against India.
The most comical part is that their commi jihaad is always waged from democratic nations and never from China or Russia.


what's with you resorting to crass regional stereotyping ?
- Rahul

[ramana]

vera_k, There is legitimate protest and illegitimate protest. The Indian protests are of later kind.

And don't mind lekin, but your response is the old "Elephant marches while dogs bark" genre of response.

Elephant should quash the dog while marching is my take.

[Vayutuvan]

After all the whippings of "Scholars" to Silicon Valley CEO's
Meanwhile - Here is the CEO of Google..(A mutu? ) welcoming Indian PM
[youtube...]fVwa78onlpk[/youtube]

He absolutely is not because he fails the most important shibboleth test namely a put on "american accent".

[Vayutuvan]

Apparently Biden has Indian relatives, dating back to someone from the East India Company, who stayed back and married locally.

You have to give it to the American politicians. Whatever their "long"comings, they are great communicators.

[Karan M]

No offence but whats with this chatterjees , banerjees, ghoshs , sens etc perpetually waging a commi Jihad against India.
The most comical part is that their commi jihaad is always waged from democratic nations and never from China or Russia.

Its not rocket science.. WB was ruled by communists and hence a handful of folks will game the system and have solid links to the JNU and all leftist ecosystems set up/infiltrated by the CPI-CPM so one gets to see more of the loudmouths with connections who are into all this progressive stuff.

But do remember Bengal was the fountainhead of Hindu resistance against colonialism too.. so with the communists gone, the shackles will be broken and the free thinkers will again come to the fore as versus the state supported communists.

Actually, come to think of it, just check any Indian/media - there is a wide sprinkling of folks across regions doing the usual hindu bashing - one thing is common, leftist indoctrination.

[Amber G.]

Elephant should quash the dog while marching is my take.

OTOH why spend any energy (**Note typically 20KJ energy is needed to squash even a minor living being** totally unnecessary ) to quash something which is going to be quashed by it's own pompous weight..as Abdulbinmao famously misquoted Churchilji

Never have so few done so much to destroy so much of their own credibility in so short a time before so educated an audience! THANK YOU "scholiars".!

Besides, as abdulbinmao said, think of all the poor people like me who visit the expensive valley but can not afford to go to a circus and watch the buffoons...The billboards and AAUP blogs do serve a purpose..

Meanwhile, some random bits from last few hours..

India has one of the highest levels of growth and has a pro reform government-

It was a great meeting with PM and very constructive as well.Indian Govt has already undertaken massive reforms and key message was to continue doing what you are doing

Overall I was very pleased with the comments of the PM,India is very attractive to us

Not as intertaining as the billboard.. but more meaning ful.

[Amber G.]

Meanwhile per Wall Street Journal - reaction of Silicone Valley CEO's (May be some one can post this on the AAUP blog) He IS going to meet with top executives from Google, Facebook and Apple...

Silicon Valley Woos Narendra Modi

The heads of America’s largest technology companies will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this weekend to discuss how they might contribute to—and benefit from—the continuing Internet revolution in India.

In a weekend trip to Silicon Valley, Mr. Modi will be meeting with Google Inc. Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, Facebook Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple Inc. Chief Executive Tim Cook, among others. His summit with the tech titans comes just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping, had his own high-profile meetings with some of America’s most powerful executives.

As millions of Indians are just now discovering the Internet thanks to affordable smartphones, America’s biggest tech companies don’t want to miss out on a new surge in Internet users like many did in China. Industry insiders say they will use the Modi visit to push for better market access in India as well as clearer regulations on investment and startups.

Mr. Modi will use the trip to try to stir up interest in helping India upgrade its technology infrastructure. He is also using the visit—in a region that is home to many India-born engineers, coders and executives—to highlight and celebrate Indians who help power America’s tech industry.

Mr. Modi said on his verified Twitter account that his visit “will focus on startups, innovation & technology and how to further support them in India.”

He will take part in a question-and-answer session at Facebook, visit Google and stop by Tesla Motors Inc. He will also attend an event in San Jose, Calif., where more than 30 startups from India and the U.S. will showcase their work.

Google’s Mr. Pichai welcomed Mr. Modi—who landed in New York for United Nations meetings Thursday—with a video message outlining the importance of India for technology companies and highlighting Google’s efforts to make the Internet more affordable and accessible for the next billion users. “The bond between India and Silicon Valley is strong. India has long been an exporter of talent to tech companies,” Mr. Pichai said in the video posted on YouTube. “We hope your visit will energize people in the Valley, excite Indians all across the country and renew and strengthen our partnership.”

Many of America’s tech giants have announced new products and investment plans aimed at India in the past year. Amazon said it would spend $2 billion to expand its presence in India. Facebook is helping offer free Internet service through its Internet.org platform. Google helps companies design inexpensive phones that use its Android operating system.

Still, U.S. tech leaders might take the opportunity to point out some of the challenges they are facing in India, Asia’s third-largest economy after China and Japan.

Google, for example, has been stuck in an antitrust court battle for years in India in which some Indian companies claim Google abused its dominant position as the most-used search engine. Facebook’s effort to create new Internet users through Internet.org sparked accusations it was trying to control what services users can access, which detractors said violated net-neutrality principles. Facebook denies that Internet.org violates the principles.

Online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. and its rivals in India need more clarity on the country’s restrictions on foreign investment in retail. India prohibits foreign investment in online retail, which e-commerce companies skirt by running marketplaces that link up buyers and sellers, instead of selling goods directly. The Indian government is currently being sued by brick-and-mortar retailers who allege that the difference is semantic, and that Amazon.com and others should be prohibited from getting the international funds they depend on for expansion.

WEEKEND PLANS

The Silicon Valley itinerary of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Saturday: Lunch with Indian associations; visit Tesla; meetings with Apple’s Tim Cook, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and other executives; ‘Digital India’ dinner.
Sunday: Visit Facebook and Google; take part in renewable-energy round-table talk at Stanford University; meet startups in San Jose, Calif.; give speech at sold-out SAP Center.
To be sure, technology executives who follow Mr. Modi generally say he is good for the industry in India. They expect him to follow through on promises to upgrade the country’s outdated infrastructure and make it easier to set up shop and expand.

“There’s an expectation among the entire Indian community that Modi is looking to build the economy and make India a global force to be reckoned with,” said Mohit Lad, chief executive of ThousandEyes, a network-monitoring startup based in Silicon Valley. “I think he’s doing a much better job than what we’ve seen in the past.”

Executives—particularly India-born executives—expect Mr. Modi to lower the barriers to investing in and selling stakes in startups and do something about the country’s abysmal infrastructure.

India needs the right laws so “investors feel comfortable bringing money in and taking money out,” of the country said Dhiraj Rajaram, CEO of data-analytics consulting firm Mu Sigma Inc., which has offices in the India and the U.S.

Ninad Kulkarni, co-founder of the social-enterprise startup BleeTech, which is based in India, said government paperwork too often slows startups, making it difficult to raise the money they need.

“The startup process goes fast,” he said. “In one year, if you don’t act fast enough then you are dead.”

The time Mr. Modi is spending with startups in the U.S. will also send a signal that will help enliven investment in the IT industry and let India’s policy makers know it is a core area of focus for the Modi administration.

“There’s a fundamental message to India itself,” said Naveen Tewari, the chief executive of Indian mobile ad firm InMobi, who will be attending the startup event. “The new world is going to be startups, technology and innovation.”

Not any mention of those buffoons like some of desi media were liffafa reporting...

[Vayutuvan]

Just heard a longish clip on NPR from Abhay Bhushan, First Batch IITK EE, chief of ASquare, and IITK Foundation President. He made a few points about what is talking place on the ground both +ve and -ve. One -ve he mentioned is cutting of taxes for the rich and cutting of welfare to the poor. He also mentioned education should be made free for all and also said there are no silver bullets - it is the nature of the beast and it is a long haul. He also made a few perceptive comments on why Indian (IT) companies are unable to make the jump from services to products.

[Raja Bose]

After all the whippings of "Scholars" to Silicon Valley CEO's
Meanwhile - Here is the CEO of Google..(A mutu? ) welcoming Indian PM

Pichai is no MUTU that's for sure.

[Prem]

I am debating on the style of Turban i should wear on Sunday. Rajasthani, Punjabi or the one Sinil Dutt Wali Like This

[Raja Bose]

They will probably make you take it off and X-ray it. We need a full report once you get back in case they don't allow phones or cameras inside SAP center.

[Gus]

who's in from BR? we need representation folks...go with some big banners with BR logo

[Prem]

who's in from BR? we need representation folks...go with some big banners with BR logo

There are gonna be few old Thakur BRFstani there .

[amdavadi]

Who else is going?

I picked up my ticket yesterday.

[amdavadi]

They will let you take your cell & camera inside.

[SwamyG]

I am debating on the style of Turban i should wear on Sunday. Rajasthani, Punjabi or the one Sinil Dutt Wali Like This

Go like Chanakya onlee. Wear a dhoti plus shirt though. Rudraksha mala and a tuft, with sandal mark on your forehead - sun or half moon.

[UlanBatori]

Get a Size 56 belt at the WalMart, drill a hole at your waist size. Put on the belt and turn it around, so that it hangs behind you. U'll be a hit at the event, I assure u.

[Gus]

yes...ethnic dress. if i was there, i would wear kadar shirt and veshti with a thundu on shoulder as well.

[vera_k]

And don't mind lekin, but your response is the old "Elephant marches while dogs bark" genre of response.

Worrying about H&D issues is a Paki specialty ain't it? I suppose there will always be some Indian factions who act on H&D issues for historical reasons.

[ramana]

AB is a pucca Commie yet was one of those raising money for Amar Singh cash for votes.

Some BRF have very good contacts.

[Karan M]

Get a Size 56 belt at the WalMart, drill a hole at your waist size. Put on the belt and turn it around, so that it hangs behind you. U'll be a hit at the event, I assure u.

even bigger if it hangs in front of him.

[Paul]

Someone should point Pichai out to Amir Khan and tell him why in 3 Idiots Kareena married the wrong guy. Pichai is that Tamil character in the movie who wins in real life.

[RajeshA]

Here is some US lovers in India preparing for NaMo-Obama meet! Something for the laughs!




Here is the original:

[Amber G.]

CEOs express great satisfaction after meeting PM Modi in New York

[Vayutuvan]

rmana: I presume AB == A. Bhushan? Didn't big B AB take help from A singh too?

[ramana]

Its not encrypted. Just used initials.

[SwamyG]

Kem chho Aseembhai? Better half delivering welcome letter from 200+ academics to PM in NYC.

Mongolian's signature would be in that dossier

For people who do not know Suhag and Aseem.....they are Americans, HAF co-founders with strong connections to Gujarat

[UlanBatori]

Did James Bond ever get a pat on the shoulder from the Prime Minister? Can't remember.