Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US is going to be ground breaking in so many ways. This will add a new dimension in our bilateral relation which will have far reaching consequences to the geopolitics of the world and Asia in particular. The Indo-Chinese relationship will not be the same again. China imposed enemity upon India by making an unwarranted aggression in 1962 and usurping a large Indian territory and thereafter declaring a one sided Line of Actual Control which is continuously shifting inside the Indian territory because of the Chinese policy of salami slicing. India contested this policy this time with an iron hand and hence a standoff with China for the last three years. No wonder, China is monitoring this visit with crossed fingers.
China is a very important character on the chessboard of American politics. Naturally, the Indo-US bonhomie will be crucial. If the two democracies of the world come together on equal footing, it would be bad news for China. The way the US state and defence department are working overtime to strike big defence deals with India with the provision of technology transfer would bring about a sort of diplomatic coup. And America would walk an extra mile to achieve this objective as India is indispensable to deal with China effectively. India, too, should grab this opportunity as India and China can never be friends. As a matter of fact, the Chinese incursion in the Galwan Valley and the subsequent events have made India revisit its strategic position. The matter was further expedited by the Russia Ukraine conflict which has greatly diminished the Russian capacity to supply new arms and ammunition and spare parts for our defence systems. In such a situation, India needs to diversify its defence procurement. America understands this Indian weakness and will make most of it.
The left liberal lobby in America, which is hugely funded by China, will do their best to derail this Indo-US friendship. This friendship is beneficial for both the countries. A closer tie with India will lift the morale of the sagging American economy. Its dependence on China will be reduced. The labour cost in China has gone very high because of a phenomenal increase in their per capita income. Making India a manufacturing hub for the American and western needs is a profitable proposition at least for a couple of decades. We, too, need it for the employment of our young skilled and unskilled population.
India needs a superlative diplomatic and political skill to achieve it which we have. In Modi, we have a wise and pragmatic political leader. S. Jaishankar is not only a trained diplomat but a bold and practical negotiator who can swim like a fish in the whirlpool of politics, if you allow me the liberty to draw a parallel with the mercurial Austrian Chancellor Metternich. Besides the NSA, Ajit Doval has his own class.He is simply matchless. Therefore, India is likely to sign mega defence deals with America which will lead to close cooperation between the two countries in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The provision of technology transfer would bolster Atmanirbhar Bharat in the field of defence requirements and logistic support.
The Department of Defence and the State Department of America appear to be at loggerheads as DoD wants close cooperation with India while the State Department talks of defeating Modi in 2024 through its tools like Equity Lab and George Soros. Both of them are serving American interests. India is indispensable for America to protect its interests in the Indo-Pacific region and DoD knows it. The State Department is building up an anti-India narrative to force India to leave its strategic autonomy and join as a dependent ally. The Indian leadership is sharp enough to negotiate this difficult situation successfully.
The writer is a noted academician and political commentator. Views expressed in the article are personal.
