The visit assumes significance, as this would be the first time a US President would visit the country twice during his term.
Political pundits in India hail this as a victory for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his diplomatic acumen. Obamas visit comes close on the heels of the US relenting to Indias stance that it will not cap food subsidy. The US needs Indias help to veto the Trade Facilitation Agreement, which would push developing nations to tighter border controls. That is likely to be on the agenda apart from infrastructure projects that the new Indian government is aggressively hoping to kick off. Apart from these the two countries are expected to increase naval ties and exercises.
India is on Washingtons Asia Pivot, an important force needed to counter a gigantic China. The US-India joint agreement signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Washington openly declared support for US efforts against China in maintaining stability in the South China Sea. It is only India, which would be able to keep a check on an aggressive China in the near future.
And India needs the US too. India, for the first time in 68 years, has not spoken the words non-aligned this in itself signals a clear shift in thinking and approach towards foreign policy. India will need the US on its side to pressurise Pakistan to take strong action against terror cells in the country. Chinese aggression on India would be tough to counter, so India needs to keep the US as a friend.
Politics is a curious business, indeed. It was during Barack Obamas tenure that the US denied a visa to Modi who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat. In fact, the US administration cited his role played in the 2002 riots between Hindus and Muslims and kept refusing to let him enter into the country. However, one thing is for sure. Prime Minister Modis almost Bollywood style functions and out of the box approach to diplomacy and foreign relations has earned him a firm place in headlines across the world. –Khaleej Times
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