The United States has dropped broad hints that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister can get an A1 visa by pointing out that heads of State and Government are eligible for this class of American visa, albeit with the rider that no individual automatically qualifies for it.
Faced with renewed media questioning on the prospects of Modi getting a US visa, something that was denied to him in 2005 because of his alleged role or inaction during the 2002 Gujarat riots, the State Department sought to steer clear of a definitive comment at this point with Indian election results still to be declared.
However, when pressed on US visa policy in respect of duly elected foreign leaders, spokesperson Jen Psaki said: “Well, heads of State and heads of Government are eligible for A1 visas — visa classification under the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act). No individual automatically qualifies for a US visa.”
“US law exempts foreign Government officials, individuals — including heads of State and heads of Government — for certain potential inadmissibility grounds,” Psaki said, adding: “I’m not going to get into any greater level of detail.” While declining to comment specifically on the Modi visa issue, Psaki said: “As you know, we don’t talk about visa applications. We’re looking forward to working with the new Indian Government when they’re elected. But I’m not going to speculate on that given, obviously, the results haven’t been announced yet.”
India-watchers, meanwhile, are urging the Obama administration to get its act together vis-à-vis India, with the otherwise close ties being seen to be in a state of drift in recent months, aggravated by the diplomatic spat in the wake of the Devyani Khobragade affair. Carnegie Endowment’s leading South Asia expert Ashley Tellis wants President Barack Obama to personally reach out to Modi if results confirm the exit polls on NDA’s victory.
“A congratulatory call from Obama to Modi followed by a visit to India by a US Cabinet member or higher-ranking official would go a long way,” says Tellis in a write-up, noting: “These overtures will not make up for the lost opportunity to engage Modi while he climbed the national stage or efface his accumulated grievances against Washington overnight. But they would be the necessary first step toward developing a relationship with a leader who will govern India for the next five years.”
In his article titled “Productive but JoylessIJ Narendra Modi and US-India Relations”, Tellis argues that whatever else may be believed about Modi, there is universal agreement that he is a decisive leader. He believes that Modi’s ascension would raise new hope for US-India relationship to realise its potential.
“In many ways, Modi, with his natural assertiveness, may be even better positioned than former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to rebuild the bilateral relationship,” Tellis writes, adding: “It would be wise for officials in Washington, therefore, to engage Modi concertedly in the aftermath of the Indian elections for several reasons, including making up for keeping him at arm’s length until very recently.”