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Manmohan Singh’s visit to Washington

Mahmood Hasan
US President Barack Obama met the leaders of the two most populous nations in a span of ten days. Obama paid a state visit to China from November 15-18, where he met President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Soon after his return to Washington from the APEC Summit in Singapore, he greeted Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Washington as a state guest from November 23-25. The significance of these meeting lies in the fact that both China and India are emerging Asian nations, and rivals in many respects.
Earlier, in July 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had paid a state visit to US during the Bush administration, when he addressed a joint session of the Congress. That visit laid the foundation for closer relations, which culminated in the signing of the US-India civilian nuclear deal in October 2008.
President Obama's China visit was significant as the two countries have moved towards closer financial and trade relations, despite grossly dissimilar political systems. What dismayed the Indians is the fact that Obama did not include India in his Asian itinerary. On the contrary, the joint statement issued in Beijing on November 17 placed China on a higher
pedestal and signaled the recognition of a global player by the Americans.
China is, today, United States' largest creditor nation. It has bought $ 801.5 billion worth of US Treasury Bonds to help America's ailing economy. China has converted this financial dependence of the US into legitimising its predominant role in Asia. Obama’s visit was thus a victory’ for Chinese diplomacy. China got everything it wished for from the Americans.
To India the worrying part of the joint statement was on South Asia. It stated, " support the improvement and
growth of relations between India and Pakistan. The two sides are ready to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace, stability and development in that region." Clearly, the statement had subordinated India to a level lower than that of China. Delhi is deeply concerned that Washington is encouraging China to play a role in South Asia.
It is against this backdrop that Manmohan Singh arrived for the state visit to US. Manmohan's sojourn was confined to Washington. He had a two-hour talk with Obama at the White House. On November 24, Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle hosted a state dinner for Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur. This was the first state visit hosted by President Obama.
Eulogies and rhetoric were in abundance from both sides. "The relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," Obama declared at the news conference. "Mr. President, your journey to the White House has captured the imagination of millions and millions of people in India. You are an inspiration to all those who cherish the values of democracy, diversity, and equal opportunity." remarked Manmohan Singh at thedinnertoast.
The visit produced several memorandums of understanding and memorandums of interest and some agreements related to the following areas -- advancing global security and counter- terrorism, green partnership, economic trade and agriculture; enhancing US-India cooperation on education and development, and cooperation in health. There was no agreement on nuclear cooperation, though Obama told the press that he would push ahead with the deal.
The joint statement between President Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred to a large number of bilateral issues. China and Pakistan — traditional rivals of India --figured rather prominently in Manmohan's interaction with the press.
The joint statement referred to ".... defeating terrorist safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan." Manmohan went a step forward and denounced Islamabad for being selective in fighting terrorist organisations in Pakistan. Obama, however, stressed Pakistan's importance in the security of the South Asian region. Obama, without being intrusive, also nudged India to resume
talks with Pakistan. Manmohan indicated that he would do so if Pakistan abjured terrorism. India has been refusing to talk to Pakistan since the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November last year.
Referring to the India-China border dispute Manmohan remarked,".... there is but a certain amount of assertiveness on the Chinese part. 1 don't fully understand the reason for it." The reason is not far to look. Since the signing of the US-India nuclear deal China has started viewing India with suspicion.
China was "seriously dissatisfied" when Manmohan Singh visited Araunachal Pradesh last October for a campaign tour ahead of state elections. China has made clear to India that the territories in Aksai Chin in Ladakh, north of Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh in North-East India belong to Tibet and are thus parts of China. The border tension between the two neighbouring giants may portend a conflict.
Manmohan was equally irrited when he was asked about the Chinese economic growth rate. Acknowledging that China had a higher growth rate than India, Manmohan said,... "there are other values which are more important than the growth ofGross Domestic Product." $
On global climate change, the two leaders reaffirmed their intention to promote full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC in accordance with the Bali Action Plan. They also promised to work together at Copenhagen in December for an agreed outcome at that meeting.
From Delhi's point of view, Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington was a tremendous success. The playing of national anthems, the sumptuousness of the state dinner, glowing remarks about India and the extravaganza at the White House were hyped to calm down the large delegation that accompanied the Indian Prime Minister.
From Washington's point of view, it was a balancing act of diplomacy, keeping US interests in mind. The White House
and the State Department tried to allay India’s fear that it has lost out to China.
At the end of the day, it was the White House that emerged as the winner --placating the two rival Asian giants and keping them guessing.
Mahmood Hasan is former Ambassador and Secretary, and Policy Advisor to Center for Foreign Affairs Studies