Crux Of Indo-US Relation : A Plea More Micro-level Interactions

On Monday, March 21, 2005, a discussion-cum-debate session on recent transformation of Indo-US relations with special emphasis on trade and terrorism was held at the American Center, Kolkata. The organisers were two first-year journalism and mass communication students of the University of Calcutta, Sumit Dey and Arghya Chowdhury, with technical support from the hosts. The focal point of the session was the book, 'People, Progress, Partnership: The Transformation Of Indo-US Relations', published by US Embassy, New Delhi.

Co-ordinating the session, Mr. Bhaskar K. Rajah, Deputy Director of American Center, emphasised the importance of research work on the part of budding journalists. He also highlighted the US contribution in the setting up of agricultural research centres, technology and management education institutes, multipurpose river valley projects and introduction of eco-friendly and energy-efficient vehicles in India.

Mr. Swagata Ganguly from The Statesman, drawing in from commonplace instances as well as from politico-economic issues, backed the improvement in Indo-US relations over the past decade or so. He pointed at the whole-hearted support that USA lent to India during the Kashmir elections and the Kargil War. He drew the attention of the audience, consisting mainly of Calcutta University journalism and mass communication students, to the appointment of Mr. Robert Blackwell, from US President, Mr. George Bush's favourite 'Vulcan' coterie, as the US ambassador to India, especially in the context that this post was lay vacant for eighteen months.

The other guest speaker for the afternoon, Mr. Pradip Gooptu, from Business Standard, was of the contention that the pace of the improvement of the relation between the two countries has not been encouraging enough so as to use the term 'transformation' in this regard. He laid stress on the fact that the improvement in the bilateral relation at the governmental level, has not percolated to the grassroot level, as problems in procurement of visas, common concerns regarding inflation and security continue to exist. He pointed at the evolving issues and the issues which are legacies from the past, continue to hamper Indo-US relations at the common man's level. Highlighting the facts that US share in India's foreign trade has always been high, he also emphasised the steady US contributions to NGO activities in India. He also made the point that India has lived with terrorism far too long in comparison with the time-span in which the US is being perturbed by terrorist threats.

However, the show was stolen by the CU journalism and mass communication students who impressed one and all with their polemical eloquence. Paroma Roy crunched statistics and records while referring to the India's 1998 nuclear tests, World Trade Centre demolition of 2001, and India’s liberalisation of her economy since 1991 as milestones in recent developments in India's relation with the US. She pointed at the as many as fifty-three joint military exercises between India and the US in 2000-05, the five US insurance houses doing commendable business in India in collaboration with India-based business enterprises, FBI's co-operation with CBI and the Interpol for the capture of Abu Salem, Bill Clinton's address to the Indian parliament and the recent visit of Ms. Condoleezza Rice to India as some of the high points in the progressive improvement of Indo-US relations over the years.

Rashmi Jaiswal's critique of the book under contention was marked by raw vigour tempered by thoughtful observations. She noted the statistical authenticity of the book, but at the same time, was relentless in her lashes at the loose ends and visible adoration of the 'Uncle Sam' attitude of the US that the book presented. Her vociferous satire of US opportunistic utilitarianism covered such variety of issues such as brain drain, superficial glamour associated with BPO, US use of India as a dumping ground for banned pharmaceutical products, pesticides in soft drinks, India's contention for UNO veto power, US humiliation of George Fernandez and Narendra Modi, Indian aeroplane hijack to Qandahar, 1993 Bombay blasts, India's refusal to accept foreign aid for her December 2004 tsunami affected areas, among others.

Sumit Dey, speaking of the recent attempts at bridging the Indo-Us digital divide, better amenities provided from the US at a Hyderabad school as incentives for education, expansion of India's consumer goods market, US ban over Lashkar-e-Toiba, intellectual property rights, made the point that good fences make good friends.

In the lively panelists-audience interaction that followed with sips of tea and bites at snacks, 'relationship' was hailed as a term with essentially emotional connotations, with emphasis on the need for accelerated bonding of Indo-US relation, especially in the context of the common factors of mixed culture and struggle for independence shared by the people of two of the world's largest democracies.

The enlightening and absorbing session ended on a thanksgiving note with the moderator, Mr. Rajah presenting copies of the book 'An Outline Of American History' to the speakers.