Commas And Hyphens

As special envoy, Saran enjoys Manmohan Singh's confidence and was indeed the PM's choice as India's candidate for the Commonwealth secretary-general until ambassador Kamlesh Sharma's name came from 10 Janpath. Sharma won the post at the Commonwealth summit in Uganda in November last year and Saran continued his roving diplomacy for the nuclear deal. Saran has been an early votary of the deal, passionately arguing for it when some others were sceptical about US intentions.

The question is whether Saran would take the job, having been "in waiting" for so long. Those who know him wonder if he was ready to pack his bags for Washington. But who can refuse the prime minister, especially for a top assignment? If continuity is the essence of abiding relationships between nations, Saran would be the thread, analysts say.

Another school of thought is that the UPA might send a senior serving diplomat who has handled tough assignments as a bridging person until the political landscape becomes clearer. Satyabrata Pal, India's ambassador to Pakistan, who is seen as a quiet professional, might be considered for the Washington job. Meera Shankar, India's ambassador to Germany, seems to have got her heart's desire and will most likely be India's permanent representative to the UN.

As for a politician being named, the name doing the rounds is that of Anand Sharma, Union minister of state for external affairs, who has been active as India's face in Africa. He has accompanied Congress chief Sonia on important trips to China and South Africa, carving out a niche for himself in the inner circle. But which politician will risk serving less than a year with polls scheduled for 2009 and the grim possibility of losing power, ask diplomats.

A dark horse in the race is Tarun Das, chief mentor of the Confederation of Indian Industry, who helped energise the business-to-business relationship with the US over the past decade. Das has extensive contacts with top American CEOs and has done the rounds on Capitol Hill hobnobbing with US senators and congressmen. As an organiser of a crucial track two dialogue, he has sat through strategy sessions on what is wrong or right with the relationship. It was Das's idea to open a CII office in Washington in the early 1990s, which has now grown into an additional diplomatic arm for India.

In the end, may the best man win because, as former foreign secretary Salman Haider says, "it is a relationship of great complexity and it requires a very steady hand."