The much anticipated 2004 presidential election in the United States finally came to an end when on 2 November the American voters exercised their franchise. In a dramatic finish, the incumbent president, George W Bush defeated Senator John Kerry by gaining victory both in the electoral college as well as in the popular vote.

With Bush in the White House for a second term, will there be a significant shift on US policy toward India? By most observers' estimates, the relationship that took a definite upward swing in the Clinton years and rolled over on to the Bush Presidency is very likely to continue.

On the defense field, the Bush administration is likely to support India's acquisition of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 as well as permit Israel to sell Arrow anti-missile system by keeping both the strategic partners in good humour with the expectation that in possible future contingencies, US may count on these countries for proactive military cooperation. The acquisition of these fresh assortment of strategic weapons are likely to bolster India militarily as it fine-tunes the induction of the Phalcon twin AWACS radar, the Greenpine as well as the Aerostat low level baloon radars it received last year to give Indian Air Force a definite edge in its capability in tracking down incoming missiles and other mobile targets.

Notable bilateral military exercises are also likely to continue under the second Bush administration as it was during the previous Bush years when both US and India conducted naval patrols in the Straits of Malacca to preventing acts of piracy in the high seas and for checking narcotics smuggling. Bush administration might also give the go ahead for further military collaboration as was witnessed during the last two years such as conducting special forces airborne training in Agra and ranger exercise in Alaska.

Bush will also in all likelihood go along with the recommendations made in the ongoing Indo-US dialogue on NSSP (Next Steps in Strategic Partnership) including expanded engagement on nuclear regulatory and safety issues and missile defense as well as finding ways to enhance cooperation in peaceful use of space technology. Steps such as removing ISRO from the prohibition list and not insisting on benchmarks such as the signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and stopping production of fissile material have been heralded by the Indian side as clearing a major obstacle in strengthening Indo-US strategic ties.

To sum up, as far as India is concerned, it is likely to be at the top of Bush's policy agenda particularly in view of India's rising status as a predominant power in South Asia and due to the enormous influence of Indian diaspora living in the United States. In an interview made before the election, Bush expressed his hope for a more engaged relationship with India which he described as a 'natural ally'. Although he may still continue the policy of outsourcing of jobs in general, yet he may revise his stand by stating that he would prefer a more level-playing field in this issue keeping the interests of American workers in mind and would regulate rules concerning outsourcing accordingly. Now that Bush has been re-elected president, it remains to be seen whether what he said and did during the first term was in fact going to be his policy norm for the second term as well. In South Asia, Bush may prefer to maintain an even handed policy between India and Pakistan while at the same time looking for tangible ways to bolster economic and defense relations with India to a greater height. In the field of IT (Information Technology), however, there is a strong possibility of President Bush tapping into the skilled talents of India's software engineers by increasing the present H-1B quota to enable Indian nationals be made eligible for US immigration. By building a bridge of mutual accommodation of views between the world's largest and the oldest democracy, Bush presidency may open up newer vistas in US-India relationship for the opening decade of the 21st century.

However, it needs to be remembered that as mature friends, the US and India will continue to have differences as well both over style and substance while trying to cement areas of cooperation, be it strategic, military or economic, within the framework of a shared partnership. Let it be understood by both sides that it takes two to tango and the threads of cooperation should be viewed and rewarded in its totality and not seen in isolation to the detriment of one or the other partner as both countries chart a new level of understanding keeping in view the core national interests of one another.