Click to play videoNew Delhi: The phone call that should have come on Saturday eventually came on Wednesday morning India time and no, there were no crossed wires. In fact, if the Prime Minister's office is to be believed, the conversation between US president-elect Barack Obama and Manmohan Singh went off quite well.
Obama reportedly said that he wanted to make an early visit to India. He also got a little personal, praising Singh's stint as finance minister and now Prime Minister.
It is believed that he has promised to work with India on all important issues and described the Indo-US strategic relationship as very important.
However, the PM was more demanding, saying the relationship was very good but neither side ought to be satisfied with the status quo.
The two leaders have been in contact before via letters – one from the PM condoling Obama's grandmother's death and another from the president-elect during his campaign outlining his approach to India and the world.
Those tenuous links could have been strengthened this weekend in Washington at the G20 financial summit hosted by President George Bush. But their first date will have to wait, the PM will be in DC while Obama in Chicago, trying to keep a safe distance from a lame duck President and his policies.
However, there is no such estrangement between India and the US now that Uncle Sam has made it clear it’s not ignoring New Delhi. So expect the once estranged democracies to engage even more in the future.
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