DIPLOMATIC DISPATCH: Kerry's visit 'Modifies' Indo-US ties
The 'Modified' relationship between India and the US, should get relations going between the two countries, especially after the drift in the last few years.
The good news is that a large amount of political capital has been put in place to create the right chemistry for the relationship.
The denial of a visa to Narendra Modi, differences on the nuclear liability bill and an extended tit-for-tat after the Devyani Khboragade issue, the relationship between the two democracies was in tatters with enough red marks on the report card.
'Modified'? American Secretary of State John Kerry and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attempted to jump start Indo-US relations during a meeting in New Delhi
However, when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj sat down with US Secretary of State John Kerry for talks, the bonhomie was visible, despite differences where the two have agreed to disagree in their larger goal for etching out a new roadmap of cooperation when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes to Washington for a summit meeting with President Obama on September 30.
PM KEEPS BEIJING GUESSING
India may be sending subtle signals to China that the Modi government wants to expand trade ties with Beijing and keep nagging issues at bay.
But on the strategic front, the Prime Minister is bracing for a slew of visits that seek to balance China's aggressive rise in the region.
While Modi's visit to Nepal is aimed at engaging with a neighbour that has vital strategic stakes for India but the visit is also designed to tell Kathmandu that New Delhi wants closer ties with the country which has fallen off the radar of Indian diplomacy with Manmohan Singh not finding time to visit the country during his 10-yearlong term as the Prime Minister.
Modi's visit will also be an exercise to check China's growing influence in Nepal, which has included trade push and a cultural push that includes Mandarin classes in Nepalese schools.
Then next month Modi will be headed to Tokyo for a summit meeting with Shinzo Abe to strengthen Indo-Japan ties.
Courting Abe will send a message to Beijing that Modi's foreign policy will be guided by realism.
India has to create an axis of friends in the neighbourhood and beyond which can resist Beijing's advances on the Line of Actual Control and on countries in the neighbourhood.
On the WTO issue, India has conveyed that it will hold its ground and has voiced its concerns on the 'snooping' issue, which has created a political storm.
The US Secretary of State responded by saying America wanted to leave the past behind and create a new chapter in the relationship.
Sources said that the two countries have agreed to step up cooperation in defence, enhance strategic cooperation, intelligence sharing and cooperation in the arena of counter terrorism.
There was also talk about expanding bilateral trade, which currently stands at US $100 billion, in areas such as energy cooperation.
On the global front, the US and India have agreed to expand cooperation on Afghanistan as they both have vital security stakes in the region.
While Kerry's visit was more about preparing the ground for the visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, it is understood the US is doing its best to woo the Modi regime, which they believe will usher in the next round of reforms and open up the Indian economy further.
Secondly, Washington also realises that it needs an assertive India to play a stabilising role in the region to balance China, and for that it needs to have the Modi regime on its side.
Thirdly, President Obama is trying to play a more assertive role in the international arena – where he has taken on himself to discipline Russia – and for this he needs the support of other countries, especially India.
The bonhomie between the two countries is thanks to some deft, behind the scenes, diplomacy.
For this, credit needs to go to key officials in New Delhi who worked tirelessly to get the relationship back on track.
Key interlocutors, led by India's Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and India's Ambassador to the US, S. Jaishankar, presented a tough face on consular issues and a clamp down on the diplomatic privileges for the US, in the aftermath of the Khobrgade standoff, but then changed gears quickly to reinforce to the US, that they need to make a fresh beginning with the government in New Delhi.
While Jaishankar courted top Senators in Washington and business leaders, Deputy Chief of Mission Taranjit Sandhu, in Washington, speed dialled Capitol Hill; worked on the think-tanks and the Indian American community, to get them to lobby with the people who mattered in Washington.
In New Delhi, Singh got her crack team to mend fences and create the right atmospherics with Joint Secretary, External Publicity Syed Akbaruddin, Joint Secretary PMO, Javed Ashraf – a former Joint Secretary Americas – along with the current Joint Secretary Vikram Doraiswamy playing key roles.
The officials also impressed upon the political leadership that the US could help India on the international stage and the receptive Modi regime gave them a go ahead.
This was seen in the first major international crisis that the Modi government came in rescuing Indian nurses from Iraq, where the US not only lent a helping hand but also provided vital intelligence inputs.
Then, as part of India's diplomatic outreach to the US, Sujata Singh accepted an invitation to be the chief guest at the 4th July reception at the US embassy, to celebrate their Independence Day.
Finally, even though it was India's turn to go for the strategic dialogue in Washington, Swaraj conveyed that it would be difficult for her to travel in the middle of a Parliament session.
As a result, the US side was persuaded to send Kerry and a high level delegation for the strategic dialogue.
Kerry's visit to New Delhi will be followed by a visit by US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel to New Delhi next month.
The ice seems to have melted but there is still some some way to go.
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