IndiaUS

Obama the charmer: India, America can be best partners

- by India Writes Network

India and America can be best partners as the world’s largest and oldest democracies are linked by shared values and dreams, said US President Barack Obama on his last public engagement in a town-hall meeting in Delhi as he wrapped up a three-day visit to Asia’s rising power.
Conjuring up a big picture view of what he has called one of the defining partnerships of this century, Mr Obama looked fresh and radiant as he spoke to an audience of young people and outlined what India and the US can do together to build a safe, secure and prosperous world.
“Of course, only Indians can decide India’s role in the world. But I’m here because I am absolutely convinced that both our peoples will have more jobs and opportunity, our nations will be more secure, and the world will be a safer and more just place when our two democracies stand together,” Mr Obama said, to much applause from audience.
Sketching out a broad canvas of global issues on which the two strategic partners can work together, Mr Obama enlisted India’s support for a global climate deal and warned that the world does not “stand a chance against climate change” unless developing and emerging countries like India reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Obama’s speech was his final engagement in a three-day trip that saw reinvigoration of bilateral ties across the spectrum and the resolution of the impasse over the commercial implementation of the landmark nuclear deal that transformed the relations between the two democracies ten years ago.
After his speech, Mr Obama, accompanied by First Lady Michelle, circulated among the audience, shaking hands, with the besotted audience frenziedly clicking photographs to cherish their Obama moment.

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Modi-Obama bonding: The new normal high in India-US relations

- by Manish Chand

First-name bonding, “Barack and I.” Tete-a-tete over tea, “chai pe charcha.” Bear hugs, hand-holding and a walk around the rose garden, “chalein saath saath”. Footfalls echo in the memory… Well, one is not talking about puppy love of besotted lovers, but a tightening embrace of the world’s two largest, engaged democracies in an all-embracing agenda whose reverberations are going to be felt in the years to come.
In Delhi’s deepening chill, sparks flew and lit up a moribund nuclear deal and shone a new path of “shared effort, progress for all,” as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama firmed up an ambitious template for re-igniting the defining partnership of the 21st century and walked the talk to deliver substantive outcomes. The new normal in India-US relations, which was construed to mean habituation to sub-optimal engagement, has morphed into the “new normal high.” The big-ticket outcome of the Modi-Obama summit talks on January 25 was not just the nuclear deal, but the decisive shedding of ambivalence and diffidence, which will lead to the interlocking and intermeshing of the two engaged democracies across the full spectrum of economics and geopolitics.
Talking openly, resolving differences, joking with each other, and smiling naturally. This is the way to go for natural partners, and this hopefully should be the new normal high in the India-US relationship. No time for Mr Modi to lose sleep, the deal is done.

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The nuclear deal is done: India, US break liability logjam

- by Manish Chand

Ending six years of a festering impasse, India and the US have ended their long-standing logjam by sealing administrative arrangements for implementing their pathbreaking nuclear deal, with the two sides agreeing on an insurance pool to address the liability issues.
The negotiations went down the wire, but were successfully concluded with a joint push from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama.
At a joint media interaction, both Mr Modi and Mr Obama looked upbeat as they declared to scale up the India-US relations to new heights in days to come and also announced a breakthrough in the nuclear deal negotiations.

In the last few months, I see new excitement and confidence in this relationship. I see renewed energy in our engagement,” an upbeat Modi said, while underlining personal chemistry and bonding he has developed with President Obama since he met him first in September 2014 in the White House.
Mr Obama also spoke about a breakthrough in the nuclear deal.
The setting up of an insurance pool proved to be a game-changing moment to address the US’ concerns over India’s nuclear liability. After tortuous negotiations, the two sides agreed on the Rs 750 (around $130 million) insurance poll as part of risk management strategy for both suppliers and operators.

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With hugs and smiles, Obama begins India journey

- by Shweta Aggarwal

Radiant smiles, a stately wave of hands, warm hugs….US President Barack Obama touched down in India to begin a three-day historic trip that’s set to map out new frontiers for the dynamic and evolving India-US relations.
The second visit by Mr Obama to India, and the first by an American president as the chief guest at the country’s Republic Day celebrations, is deeply symbolic of a new high point in the transforming relations between the world’s two largest democracies.
With First Lady Michelle on his side, Obama walked down the air-stair of Air Force One on a wintry Sunday morning in Delhi to a red carpet welcome.
Breaking protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received him, with the two leaders warmly hugging each other – an embrace whose meaning is going to unfold in the next three days President Obama will be in India. The surprise decision by Mr Modi to receive his American guest at the airport has kindled optimism that the two leaders have managed to resolve some knotty issues and are on the verge of announcing significant outcomes after their wide-ranging talks in the afternoon.

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Obama’s India journey: Pomp, symbolism and mapping next steps

- by Manish Chand

Blending pomp and ceremony with substantive outcomes, US President Barack Obama’s forthcoming visit to New Delhi promises to “reinvigorate” the multifarious India-US strategic partnership and reinforce the centrality of Washington as “a key partner” of New Delhi in the ongoing transformation of India and its aspiration to play a bigger role on the global stage.
Ahead of the trip, both India and the US have struck an upbeat note. “We see President Obama’s visit as strengthening our ties across the full breadth of our relations – ties between our governments, our peoples and our institutions,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of India’s ministry of external affairs, in New Delhi January 22.
Washington is also betting big on Obama’s visit and has underlined multiple advantages for the US in building a closer and multi-faceted relationship. Headline-hunters may be disappointed though; breakthroughs and big-ticket outcomes may not be immediately visible, but the broad paradigm of the India-US has shifted to a point when there is greater comfort and assurance in the relationship so that the two countries can shed the temptations of hype and quietly and incrementally fructify what they have promised to do, and sustain an enduring and mutually empowering partnership.

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