The Indian Bastards are Mature and Strong Now:

Posted on Friday, July 1, 2005 at - Post Comment

Time has changed and so has changed the attitudes. Nixon abused Indira Gandhi as witch and Bush is quoting Indira which gives her the status of an  International statesman. Kissinger calls, Indians, bastards and the same Kissinger is in favour of a very strong Indo-US relations.

This change in approach is not as a result of the divine influence which the migrated Indian Gurus have made on the minds of US thinks tanks and policy makers. It is the result of a perception which is very close to reality: the perception  of a country with more than a billion population which, given all the diversities and contradictions which may have lead the westerners predict India’s break up sooner than later, has seen India emerging stronger than ever not only as a democracy but as a economic power.

It is an old saying that friendship is done with the strong and useful and not with the weak and useless. The Image of India has changed in the West with respect to the actualization of Indian potentiality in all fields.

Actually the Indian image about West in particular about US too has been changed on the same lines. The Indians who used to oppose US policy every now and then, on the ground of her being leader of the third world countries, shed their inhibition during the socialist Chandrashekher as PM when India allowed the US planes refueling facility in their war against Iraq. India thereafter blasted the nuclear device in 1998 and has got away with sanctions. Lifting of sanctions was not due to any emotional bondage but a result of realization of reality and the utility of India in short and long terms. India now is potentially one of the most promising country in the world(If Paswan and Pawar don’t pull the leg by recommending  reservation in private sector or create social discontent by increasing the present percentage of reservation).

 Notwithstanding the issues of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment still prevailing today, India seems to be one of the leaders in the knowledge economy. The charm of India as one of the most growing market, so much so that the Japanese and American money are getting parked in India rather than south east Asia and Europe, will remain for next few decades.

The Indians should not get into the trap of white skin as usually happens with us. The growth of relations and its diversification should not be denied even if Left or RSS objects.   But caution and continuous calculationS will have to be followed in viewing the short term and long term gains in the relationship. If India is net gainer then naturally we have to move ahead in the relationship. But nothing in the life one should be totally dependent upon. Same goes here too. With China becoming the biggest threat to US interest(it is clear with the US response in UNOCAL takeover by China) and Russia not lagging behind India will have to maintain a balance with both the groups.  Bastard or no bastard, a mature and dignified India as a center of interests and activities, having very good and equal relationship with both US and China/Russia will be a better policy option.