IS SINGH KING?

GREG MATTHEWS-007

Prime Minister Singh of India came to Washington, was feted as expected and has left after the usual bland joint communiqué was issued. Indian spin masters and the paid hacks in the US think tanks and media is now busy turning a non-event into an event but there are limits to which you can go with a damp squib. The US media has been somewhat restrained and busy with the new Obama strategy on Afghanistan.

Much is being made of India-US cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The US has been and is a strong presence there and it has excellent bilateral relations with the countries in the region. It is India that is worming itself there on US coat tails. The countries in the region have duly noted Indian ambitions and will no doubt have their own views and reactions. The US does not need US-Ind in AS-PAC nor do the regional countries-they would like to trade and interact with India on their own terms.

India is equating itself with the US and trying to forge a 'space partnership'. Does the US need India for this? How will others see this cooperation? An unpopular and largely condemned India-US Civil Nuclear Technology Agreement that is seen as country specific and discriminatory should not lead to more destabilizing ventures.

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