[swarthyguy]

Firstly, the Indians are notorious for being rather thin skinned at times.

Secondly, I believe that relations have never been better, what with joint exercises, not to mention the outsourcing and hitech interactions going on.

Thirdly, the Indian western oriented educated middle class, however much they may lip service to the EuroSophisticates critiques of America, prefer to send their children to American colleges and do seperate American reality from her govt's policies. Opportunities via America are too good to let politics get in the way. This works on the American side too, otherwise, not many Indians would have been allowed to migrate here.

The timing may have been unfortunate but I believe it was smoke and mirrors. Powell gave a headsup to Sinha, the FM, about this announcement, and Sinha kept quiet about it, allowing Pakistan's Mush to claim a PR victory and see India's indigination as rubbing India's face in it.

In the meantime, joint air exercises and SF training in the tropical and mountain NE continues.

One small indication of India's importance was the Chief of the US sixth fleet praising India's anti terror/pirate patrols in the Straits of Mollucca.

And Singapore will be using the Gwalior airfield as a training airbase for its pilots.

This is primarily a tool for the AntiAmerican crowd in India to use this alleged "humiliation" as a club to beat up on the ProAmericans.

A tempest in a teapot, IMO.

Not much outsourcing going to Pakistan, after all.

[Dog Gone]

I agree with that analysis 100%. And I think it's not unreasonable to expect India to become a member of NATO within the next 10-20 years.

Frankly, I wouldn't mind them replacing you know who in the Security Council, but that's unlikely. You know who would veto it!