Indo-US Strategic Partnership threat to region’s stability
Zaheerul Hassan
United States secretary of State Hillary Clinton on May 6, 2012 (Sunday) arrived in Kolkata on a three-day visit to India. The set agenda of meeting was: (1) to press India on Iran oil imports, (2) Indo-US dialogue on Afghanistan, (3) India to take up US’ U-turn on Saeed with Hillary Clinton, (4) meeting West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and finally US interest of playing her role in resolving Teesta Water Issue between India and Bangladesh.
In this regard we can say that Hillary apparently is going to make an effort to meet Banerjee just a day after her meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – would raise the issue of the Teesta Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh, which was sent to cold storage to Banerjee’s opposition in 2011. Treaty was proposed to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s trip to Dhaka of 2011 but its signatures ceremony was postponed when Bangladeshi opposition parties criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for displaying soft corner for India during the talks and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee objections on some of the salient of the treaty.
Interestingly, one has to find out that why US suddenly offered her services in resolving such like tiny issue in the presence of other major disputes like; Sino-India border issue, Kashmir issue, minority issue of India and including her domestic problems like brutality against Maoists, minorities and Sikhs that are claiming for Khalistan. The answer could be that probably US is interested to drag Bangladesh in her Indo-US Strategic Bloc been mainly established against China, Pakistan, Iran and Sri Lanka.
US desire of putting India as her regional watchdog is an open secret now because she continuously backed and supported India in regional and international issues. In this connection she refused to play any role in settlement of Kashmir issue which could become the flash point of next nuclear war. Theretofore, we can say that physically striking Iran, weakening Pakistan, and containing China from becoming major economic power, providing definite and permanent role to Israel in Middle East, acknowledging Indian supremacy in Asia and supporting her for contesting permanent seat in Security Council and establishing American bases even after the implementation Obama’s exit strategy regarding Afghanistan are the only leading strategic objectives of this unholy alliance.
Other objectives could be; investing in India for economic gain, assist Israel and providing her airbases whenever she attacks Iran, never let Russia to re-emerge as superpower, confirming and maintaining efforts of straightening bi-polar political system. In this context Israel is another country which is in fact the covert but real player of Indo-US strategic partnership. Actually, Indo-US-Israel collaboration is emerging as the most dangerous collaboration. In 2010 prior to Indian visit of Obama US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon while briefing reporters had said that Obama intends the trip to be “a full embrace of India’s rise.” At this occasion Indian officials Shivshankar Menon endorsed that he doesn’t think that there’s an area of human endeavour in which we do not actually cooperate. Thus later on, President Barack Obama during his visit has announced $10 billion trade deals with New Delhi and claimed that the deal will create 53,670 U.S. jobs. At that time he also brought some of the changes in export rules to make it easier for U.S. companies to do business with the nation of 1.2 billion people. US has also relaxed control on India’s purchase of “dual use” technologies that could be used for civilian or military purposes, have been top priorities for the business community. The Indian military’s plans of buying aircraft engines from General Electric; and preliminary agreement between Boeing and the Indian Air Force on the purchase of 10 C17s have also been materialized.
Anyhow, civil nuclear cooperation, regional security and importing oil from Iran by India is likely to be the key issues that Clinton is expected to discuss with external affairs minister SM Krishna during their meeting in New Delhi on May 8. The US, which has imposed sanctions against Tehran, has been kept on forcing India to restrict its import of crude oil from Iran.
Though; New Delhi overtly has been maintaining that it only accepts sanctions which are made by the United Nations but covertly now assured Washington that she will help US at the need of the hour.
The meeting between Clinton and Indian leaders gains significance as it comes when Pak-US relationship is at its lowest point, Washington is not ready to seek pardon on the issue of attacking Salala check post and the crucial NATO summit in Chicago, where some important decisions are expected to be made on Afghanistan, US Presidential elections campaign is in progress, US economy is deteriorating and Israeli leaders gave open threat of attacking Iranian nuclear programme
However, the entire gamut of bilateral strategic relationship between India and US is threatening the regional and global stability due to obvious reasons of Indian quest of piling up of armaments. According to Washington Post of April 19, 2012, many defence experts have said the Agni-V missile marks a significant improvement in India’s nuclear-deterrent capability and was clearly aimed at bolstering its defense against neighbouring China.
American leadership has always broadcast underline messages to China and Pakistan whenever they visited Asian region and tried to threaten Indian neighbouring countries while carrying out arms pacts with India. Recently, India has done a successful test of Agni-V which is totally China specific. The US has not shown her concern over this development.
As result of US open support to India, an arms race between India and China is now gaining momentum. Some analysts have also started to view India competing with China in an arms race rather than acquiring weapons merely for defensive purposes. It is also mentionable here that New Delhi has also launched major effort to develop laser weapons for military applications. Reportedly, Indian military is working on laser weapons for deploying on its submarines, destroyers, air force fighters and transport planes.
In short India happens to be one of the few countries in the world which does not have cordial ties with any of their neighbours. Backing and supporting India militarily, in the name of Indo-US Strategic relationship, is posing great threat to the regional and global peace and would be viewed with concern by peace believers.
