Reviving Indo-U.S. Relations? US Envoy Bill Richardson's Visit to India
05 May, 1998 · 82
Jolie Wood analyses the India visit of Bill Richardson, Permanent US Representative to the UN
Last week's high-level delegation from the
United States
was accompanied by a flurry of news reports reflecting the high expectations many Indians have for increased cooperation and closer relations with the
US
. Special Envoy Bill Richardson, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, met with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Union Home Minister L. K. Advani, and Defence Minister George Fernandes.
Richardson
was accompanied by Karl Inderfurth, US Assistant Secretary of State for
South Asia
, and Bruce Reidel, Senior Director for
Middle East
and
South Asia
in National Security Council, and other senior officials of the Clinton Administration.
Richardson
said that
India
and the
US
were both countries with global responsibilities, and should cooperate in meeting these responsibilities. Vajpayee called for closer ties in the areas of trade, investment, science and technology. Later in the day,
Richardson
met with Union Home Minister L. K. Advani, with the latter stressing
India
's concern over the deteriorating internal security environment, particularly due to trans-border terrorism.
Pakistan
's test-firing of Ghauri and
China
's possible role in the missile's development, and the situation in
Afghanistan
. Both sides confirmed the importance of continuing the Indo-US "strategic dialogue."
India
's security requirements: "We understand
India
's compulsions and respect its security concerns. We see
India
has broader security requirements as a major power, and not only in this region." He also said, however, that
India
should focus more of its energies on economic and health issues. He said that the issues between
India
and
Pakistan
should be resolved by the parties themselves. On trade issues, he stated, "We would like to see
India
as a major player in the global marketplace." On nuclear cooperation, he said the
US
was "open" to the idea of revival of nuclear cooperation for the peaceful uses.
India
and the
US
? What was the significance of this visit by the
Richardson
delegation? What will be the ramifications? Clearly, many Indians are eager to see technical and scientific cooperation with the
US
expand, and investment in the energy and power sectors increase. What are US interests in
India
? The
US
wants
India
to open certain industries to foreign investment, particularly the insurance and pharmaceutical sectors. Moreover,
India
's middle class is growing, and the purchasing power of
India
's economic elite is said to be as great as that of
Western Europe
's. So
US
industry interests are likely eyeing
India
's consumers for their business.
US
sees
India
playing vis-a-vis
China
is unclear. Inderfurth stated that the
US
was "encouraged by the friendship between
India
and
China
," and hopes "that it will continue." However, it seems also that the
US
may be hedging its bets on
China
. US foreign policy makers, and general opinion in the
US
, are divided on what the focus of US-China relations should be.
China
is viewed as an important market for trade and investment; however, there are also people who believe that
China
's repressive political system, its dismal record on human rights, and its growing military assertiveness in
East Asia
pose a threat to US interests. Some Americans assert that
China
constitutes the biggest "threat" to the status quo since the demise of the
Soviet Union
. With a mind to the uncertainty of relations with
China
, the
US
may be looking for an ally in
India
, a regional power that could serve as a bulwark of democracy in
Asia
. This might mean that the US hopes that India can constructively engage China and influence its behavior in a way that the US cannot; it might mean that the US is looking to India to provide the kind of market opportunities that China offers, as a "back-up" in case relations with China deteriorate; or perhaps the US is seeking to groom India as a potential "balance" to China in terms of diplomatic and political power in the region.
US
industry would benefit from access to the Indian market and investment opportunities, particularly if US relations with
China
take a turn for the worse. Moreover, in such a case, the
US
could hope to have
India
as a strategic ally against
China
. Not least, the
US
needs
India
's assistance in dealing with global issues such as nonproliferation, environmental protection, terrorism, human rights, and world economic growth.
Richardson
's delegation left a great deal of optimism in its wake. The Indian press has been heralding a new era of cooperation between the world's two largest democracies. Likewise, the mood at the American Embassy in
Delhi
is positive. Is this mutual optimism warranted? President Bill Clinton's visit later this year should help clarify what US intentions are in this region, and what hope there is for a close, constructive, mutually beneficial relationship between
India
and the
US
.
On April 13, Richardson and Vajpayee held a brief meeting, during which they discussed the importance of Indo-US ties, India's foreign policy priorities, India's concern about combating terrorism (shared by the US), and briefly, the test-firing of Pakistan's Ghauri missile. Significantly,
On April 14, Richardson and Inderfurth together met with Defence Minister George Fernandes. The discussion centered around regional security, including
Inderfurth held a widely covered press conference, during which he called the test-firing of Ghauri "regrettable." He said he understood
What is the basis for, and likelihood of, closer ties between
Are there issues besides economic and technical cooperation drawing the two countries together? The role that the
There is clearly a great deal to be gained through increased Indo-US cooperation, on both sides: India can hope for infrastructural improvement, technological assistance, economic growth, possible US support in Sino-Indian relations, and diplomatic assistance in resolving issues with Pakistan.