The current victory of the Republicans at the House of Representatives gives Barak Obama a strong pointer to think about his election as the President for the second term. Though it has recovered from recession, US economy is still not performing. The President is hardly two years old in the white house and one can see his popularity already declining. Obama’s policies of recovering the economy as promised after the presidential election, with the “yes we can” mantra don’t seem to have fallen in place yet.
The arrival of the US President at the commercial capital of India (Mumbai) with around 250 CEOs hoping to establish strong economic ties with India creates a level playing ground for us. Business can only be done by partners with equal stake. India has become a ‘new hope’ for the US and is no longer a ‘peripheral’ interest as it use to be. It is sort of amusing to realize that more than India being in awe of the US it is Obama who is in need of India. Indian markets can prove to be substantial in rebuilding American economy, As Exports of $1 billion will create 5,000 jobs in the US. Thus with the announcement of $10 billion in agreements Obama is taking back employment for almost 50,000 Americans. Plagued by a flailing economy, high unemployment and mid-term elections that led to the Republicans gaining control of the House of Representatives, Mr. Obama said he planned to double U.S. exports to create more jobs.
“During my first visit to India, I will be joined by hundreds of American business leaders and their Indian counterparts to announce concrete progress toward our export goal -- billions of dollars in contracts that will support tens of thousands of American jobs, We will also explore ways to reduce barriers to United States exports and increase access to the Indian market,” Mr. Obama wrote in an op-ed piece published in The New York Times.
Hence there are a few things that will happen as a consequences of Obama’s visit:
Exalting virtues of democracy
People to people relations will increase
USA’s image will be improved with the Obamas visiting schools and encouraging the youth.
Collaboration, good will, charm and charisma will be explored and appreciated.
The things that may not happen are:
India may not get US backing for the permanent seat in the UNSC
There may be No clarity on Washington’s role in war against terror in the region.
And the USA’s relations with China and Pakistan will not be explicitly put forth.
Though, some deals will be announced and some initiated, this visit will certainly show the world the increasing Indo- US closeness than ever before!
