India: Ditto for America
Robin Koerner rightly highlights this Le Monde editorial on the India-PRC center in Asia.
"American temptation" thus works the strategic circles of New Delhi. But it would be a hasty mistake to forget Indian diplomatic history, in which non-alignment and an obsession with "strategic autonomy" are articles of faith. Coupled to India's deep distrust of Beijing, is an equally intense allergy to any American manipulation, which might seek to recruit India into an anti-Chinese strategic coalition. New Delhi does not want to be sucked into a conflict with Beijing by mechanically playing its role in a new alliance with Washington.
India fears becoming an instrument of a super power. This fear may explain the difficulties that have accrued in the last few months to the Indo-American civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which grants a few minor favors to New Delhi.
The Communists, who form part of the coalition presently in power, headed by the Congress Party, exploit this weakness. It weighs in by threatening to bring on a political crisis if the agreement is endorsed.
The wind has turned. There is a widespread feeling that the process of opening up to the West has gone too far. So much so that the Congress government of New Delhi must chill out its pro-American inclination.
There's another implication missing: Washington must also resist the temptation to offer Delhi too much, because India has little reason to reciprocate. The US goal should be Delhi's neutrality.
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