US Secretary of State John Kerry made his first visit to India. India is waiting for general elections next year. There is need to clarify stands of the US and India on bilateral issues, especially on making the nuclear power deal operational. Lately, there has been a slight ambivalence in Indo- US relations. However PM Manmohan Singh is due to visit the US in Sept-Oct this year. US Vice President Joe Biden is due to be in India next month. What is expected is the speeding up of moves on various fronts, from the nuclear power deal to a bilateral investment treaty to strengthen economic ties. Kerry did well to set a time frame for implementing joint commitments. It is expected that the agreement between nuclear power companies will be finalised in Sept.
India has so far allowed the Nuclear Power Corporations of India Ltd. to slow down negotiations with all suppliers in the US, France and Russia. It is time India put the finishing touches to the nuclear power deal with the US. That will solve the country’s energy problems significantly. Differences on Afghanistan should be smoothed over. The fear in Delhi is that Washington is anxious to strike a deal with the Taliban and pull out. That will upset Afghanistan’s ethnic power balance, posing a threat to India’s security. Kerry has allayed the fear by emphasizing that the Taliban should adhere to the ” Red Lines”. The new Iranian leadership presents another controversial issue. Delhi and Washington have to thrash it out as soon as possible. The strategic partnership between the two great democracies can only then be truly effective.
