Posted on 07/19/2005 1:18:36 PM PDT by Ravi
Washington's decision to reopen access for India to civil nuclear technology is another example of the Bush administration's engagement of the South Asian nation as a counterweight to China, Indian analysts said on Tuesday. "People have it in their minds that in Asia it should not be a wholly China-dominated scene," former Indian foreign secretary Salman Haider told AFP.
"Japan has become more assertive and we are seen as a potential counter balance. Whether it should take the form of rivalry with China, that's a separate question. I think the United States would like to bring us into play (vis-a-vis China)."
China and India are the world's fastest growing economies. While China is an established Asian giant, India, with its seven percent growth rate in 2004, is seen as an emerging power.
But for India the issue of energy is becoming more and more important as it attempts to power the needs of its billion-plus population and fuel its booming economy.
President George W Bush said after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Washington on Monday that he would ask Congress and allied nations to lift sanctions preventing Indian access to civil nuclear technology.
Washington had imposed sanctions on India after its second round of nuclear tests in May 1998, but agreed after the September 11, 2001 attacks to waive those and other sanctions in return for support in the "war on terrorism".
However, because India is not party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, it is precluded under a US law from receiving technology that could aid its nuclear programme.
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bttt
Good. India is a natural ally of the US. It is a democracy and embraces pluralism and is more market driven than the PRC. There are more similarities between the US and India than there are between the US and the PRC.
Definitely! I have had many good Indian friends over the years, and I now live in an area where there are many Indians (there's a big medical school and many research facilities here) and they are fine citizens.
We have a number of Catholic Indians in my parish, but we also have a number of Hindu Indians in town who are very patriotic Americans and good citizens. There is a big Hare Krishna compound near my town, and they have some contact with local Indian-born Hindus and are also very pro-American.
I've liked every Indian I've met. Even the Muslim ones.
The more I think about this, extremely close ties with India look like a better deal to me. I think both countries would benefit greatly from it.
India is a strategic location, and the population is fairly literate (From the CIA Factbook-59% age 15 or over can read and write) and are only 13% muslim. They are entepreneurial, have a generally positive impression of the USA, and there are a LOT of Indians living here.
My impression of Indians is they are polite, tolerant and and have a good sense of humor.
With China on one border and Pakistan on the other, we would be wise to be sleeping with India.
It would be a win-win situation. It is always good to have the Ghurkas on your side...:)
Indians (for the most part) seem to follow Mahmta Ghandi's demeanor and approach to life.
You must live near Alachua.... :^)
oops, my bad.
India is a natural ally for the United States. I hope to see closer cooperation between these two Democracies in the future.
Why not the most populous one on the face of the earth!? :-)
I think Muslim Indians are in a bind right now, unfortunately. Pakistani-influenced Muslims seem to be trying to disrupt their coexistence there.
LOL! How did you guess? I live in Gainesville.
The HK have a huge compound in Alachua, complete with school, etc. There were some problems with them about 20 years ago (I think the whole HK movement was having problems at that time), but now they are fine and are good neighbors. I was actually thinking of buying property there because they are pretty conservative and I felt that I - a conservative Catholic - would not have any problems living near them. The Catholic church in High Springs is quite conservative, too, so I thought we'd all get along just fine!
I know this because I have been a member for over 30 years....
Actually, as far as I know, on a general political basis they are still raving leftists. I had friends when I was younger (in California) who went into it - they were raving leftists then, and I doubt that they have changed over the years.
However, in terms of their impact on local politics, they seem to be fairly conservative. But I don't know them in depth - after 30 years, you probably know a lot more than I do!
The HK-type groups somehow make attempts to convince Americans of Indian origin, who are otherwise overwhelmingly conservative, vote Democrat. I know this because I've seen it.
Just an added bit...I just studied Hinduism in a college class and it is very open to all religions. They believe that all religion can fit nicely together, and a lot of it can. Just not certain blowing up yourself parts. /sarcasm
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