Why has our relationship with India been . . . uhhh . . . testy in the past? I've never understood that. They're the world's largest Democracy, right? Or close if they're not. It would seem we would be made for each other.
I've heard the Cold War theory . . . that we needed an ally close to the Soviet Union and Pakistan was willing to fill the void. Because of their difficulties with each other . . . Pakistan and India . . . India then sort of had no choice but to drift more toward the Soviet Union than us. Then we virtually ignored them until they exploded the atomic bomb in the late 90's and Pee Wee Clinton had no choice but to take note of them.
The above is usually given as the answer.
In your opinion, is that why we've never been closer allies? I've always been looking for some social or cultural reasons that made sense for the differences.
There just has to be more to it than we picked Pakistan as an ally and India won't be our friends just because Pakistan and India don't play nice with each other.
Maybe that's all there is to it. Maybe when the Soviet Union collapsed India found itself left hanging alone in the breeze so they had no choice but to reach out to us . . . then Slick Willy got scared when they dropped the bomb so we finally took their out-stretched hand.
What's your opinion?
India has a long way to go before I'd ever want to be an ally with it. I like watching the Amazing Race when they go through India. 1) All women teams will lose, 2) All women will be groped and molested, 3) Someone will cry at how miserable life is in India.
Maybe I will try to answer that but i am not sure the answer will satisfy u but I do feel ur question is valid nevertheless. I am a relatively new FReeper here and an Indian. So I know a little more about India. Yes India is without doubt the largest democracy as of today unless China wants to suddenly be a democracy.
While I m not sure American reason for reaching out to India has only to do with the "bomb". I sure know that India didnt reach out to US because it was left hanging alone in the world. Logic dictates that a population of one billion making tremendous progress cannot be left hanging alone in the world. Sooner or later the world would take notice. And so America did. India and America have some common goals such as fighting terrorism and Chinese global aspirations.
As far as the "bomb" goes the world had shunned India after the tests. Whatever be the logic of the cold war the comming together of the two great democracies is the best bet for the future of the free civilised democracies of the world. And there is nothing wrong and no loss of pride in both America and India accepting each others out-stretched hand.