Indo-US ties: Obama to carry forward Bush legacy

Indo-US relationship is possibly the only area of the US foreign policy, wherein President Barack Obama is not willing to undo the legacy of the previous Bush Administration.  

In fact, all indications coming from the White House are that Obama would further strengthen America's relationship with India.  Even though the Administration's most of the time in the first 100 days has been spent in fire fighting operations on the economy front and those in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan, the new Government with Hillary Clinton at the helms of affairs as the Secretary of State has made clear in uncertain terms that they value US' relationship with India.  

In the very few weeks, Obama entered the White House, he issued a statement on the occasion of Republic Day saying that he considers India as a "natural ally", while Clinton in her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the new administration is determined to "build" on the already existing relationship with India.  

Obama completes first 100 days in office this week.  Despite the fact that India's elections and US' focus on Af-Pak, might have prevented some high profile leadership visits between the two countries, but by sending some of his officials to New Delhi even during this period are enough to indicate the importance given by Obama to the Indo-US ties.It is not only Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, visited India twice to consult New Delhi in the Af-Pak issue, but also the visit of the FBI Director, Robert Muller, and CIA Director, Leon Panetta, in the first 100 days if the administration in itself signifies the importance being given to India by the new administration.  

Here in Washington, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon was given an audience by Clinton and the National Security Adviser, while Prime Minister's Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran had meetings with top officials of top level meeting last month.  

The visiting delegation Indian industrialists under CII led by Sunil Bharati Mittal has had deliberations not only with the leaders of the industry here, but was welcomed at the White House wherein they met Lawrence Summers, Director of National Economic Council, and the Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner.  

In fact, the Obama Administration is eagerly looking forward for the formation of new government in Delhi at the end of the months long general elections so that the US can start building up the relationship between the two countries.  

This was stated by Clinton before a Congressional committee last week. It is believed that the high-level interaction between the two countries would begin within weeks of formation of a new government in India.At a time, when the US is facing foreign policy challenges on all sides and experiencing economic crisis, the Obama Administration would like to have New Delhi on the same page.  

This would be more so in the case of India’s immediate neighborhood Afghanistan and Pakistan.  

However there are a few issues which could come as a stumbling block in further strengthening the relationship between the two countries.  In the economic field it is going to be the protectionist measures being adopted by the US, specially those related to H-1B visas, as it has become tough for Indian professionals to work in the US.  

Though there is a broader convergence of views between the two countries on AfPak, Pakistan, could come as another challenge in the Indo-US relationship in the next four years if the Obama Administration.