Obama’s position: Not expected to be an international bully. Will continue strategic partnership with India, but won’t show George W. Bush’s personal touch for India.Impact on India: Obama expected to win sceptics about Indo-US relations. But India won’t hold pride of place in the Obama administration.
Non-proliferation
Obama’s position: Backs it with fervour. Unlike Bush, wants to implement the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.Impact on India: If the US ratifies the CTBT, India will have to sign it. Negotiations to hammer out a reprocessing agreement with US could get tough.
Pakistan
Obama’s position: Like Bush, will fire missiles into its tribal areas and hunt terrorists there. Wants better Indo-Pak ties to ensure Islamabad focuses on the war on terror. Stresses on need to build ties with its elected leaders.Impact on India: India might be nudged to address Islamabad’s insecurity about Delhi’s gameplan in Afghanistan. Otherwise, Indo-Pak talks will continue as before. A democratic Pakistan is good for India.
Kashmir
Obama’s Position: Says could appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. Supports the ongoing Indo-Pak efforts to address this.Impact on India: Much depends on the situation in Kashmir. Third-partyinvolvement isn’t acceptable to India.
Afghanistan
Obama’s position: Identifies it, and not Iraq, as the battleground to fight global terror. Will, like Bush, talk to elements in the Taliban.Impact on India: A stable Afghanistan is good for India. Cooption of extremists would be bad news for New Delhi.
Climate Change
Obama’s position: Unlike Bush, a strong votary of the US reducing carbon emissions and use of clean energy. One of three policies likely to beimplemented soon.Impact on India: Acceptable to India only if green technology is transferred and paid for by the developed world. Otherwise, would work with the US.
Outsourcing
Obama’s position: Not interested in building walls around the American economy, but will, unlike his predecessor Bush, encourage American companies with financial incentives to create more jobs at home.Impact on India: Expected to impact outsourcing to India; the scale not known.
H-1B Visa
Obama’s position: Expect rules for application to become stringent. The number of visas may not increase from the current 85,000 a year—though a bill in Congress proposes to raise this number to 1,95,000.Impact on India: India corners 70-80 per cent of the visas issued every year. Continue to dream your American dream.
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