Ram narayan is forgetting the ground level realities.Both the countries cannot afford that sort of proximity in their relationship.The world knows about china's nuclear prolifiration to pakistan and its human rights record.Nobody is willing to take on the dragon.Not even uncle sam.Then why should India antagonize china by aligning with uncle sam at this juncture.The social,geographic,economical structure of India suggests that "everyone needs India,she needs everyone".We have to engage a rouge neighbour in pakistan,a big brother in china,a good friend in russia,a big merchant in european union,and the US.Add to this the islamic nations.Agreed,the US is our "natural ally".But the first mover has to be the US.By not supporting India's bid to UNSC,the US has opened the pandora's box.The US lacks the commitment in its friendship with India.We cannot trust the US to the fullest.No one has been friends with US for long.Its track record is not impeccable.I suggest china as our MFN.If we can shake a firm hand with China,then 1.pakistan would be under check. 2.solid duo-economy. 3.mightier Asia. But the million-dollar question is can we trust china and enter the dragon?..
The auther is right on many points. But the important fact is that nobody in the white house seems to relise that india is an natural alley and the amount of pamphering pakistan gets and the multiple yardstick us uses to define and respond to terrison when it comes to its home verses others will dethrone its global position in the long run. This will augment well for the indians as a whole. When the future becons US will be compelled to seek adjustments with india, that will be time when india will be better placed than today. It is the US that has to understand this and arrive at a more legitimate and respectfull relations with india. Otherwise it will loose both to china and india and loose its relevence as a international super power.
i would like to agree.india should continue to ne non-aligned as there is much today and say about developng countries for whom India is a shining example.
The British ruled the world with their cunningness. The Americans are making the mistake of using force which explains its preoccupation with unnecessary military adventures - Iraq, Iran and North Korea. Read this in conjunction with terrorism visiting the US mainland sowed by their own misdeeds across the world. Read this in conjunction with singular failure of US foreign policy in Latin American, Middle East, South Asia or the far East. The Soviet Union collapsed because its resource base could not support its military infrastructure out of its economic base. The same is happening with the US. Although US economic base is far stronger, yet it is at present overstretched to support the unrealistic US positions in various parts of the world which are totally unnecessary. The entire gamut of these misadventures and miscalculations would see the US significantly weakened. The US does not require a China to weaken. The US is substantially competent to weaken itself.But weakening of a genuinely free society like the US is not in world interest but so also is its unnecessary policing of the world. The US will be forced into accepting the scenario painted by the article.
The author has too many assumptions. Though India has huge potential, it also has many short comings vis a vis China and USA.
All I want to say is, let us progress as fast as possible and let us ensure that the progress is spread across the country. Forget about competing on anything with USA or China. If we are good, then they will automatically come around. We wouldn't go around begging for a strategic or whichever alliance with any country but it will automatically happen.
Once we really make progress, we'll command the respect. We would not need UN security seat or any such bestowed honour!
Now, the only thing that is coming in our way of achieving is this : INDIAN POLITICIANS belonging to ALL the parties.
Indian "Aam Janata" should do things for themselves, (though it is rather over simplification, I would say, do it like SWADES!)
