Click to play videoIn less than 24 hours, voters in the United States will head to vote for the most powerful politician in the world.
Almost every opinion poll is now showing Senator Barack Obama ahead in the race to become President of the United States. Obama, is known to be protectionist who says he will stop outsourcing of jobs. He is tough on nuclear proliferation and feels America should involve itself in the Kashmir dispute.
However, in a sharp contrast, Republican Senator John McCain is in favour of free trade, outsourcing and it was after all a Republican president, George Bush, who gave India the bonanza of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
So who will bring good news to Indo-US relations – Obama or McCain?
That was the question asked on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation – Obama ahead: Will McCain be a better American President for India?
On the panel of experts to debate the topic were consultant, Obama campaign, Toby Chaudhuri; Vice Chancellor of Jammu University Dr Amitabh Mattoo; former Indian ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh and senior journalist Swapan Dasgupta.
Obama, good for India?
Mansingh began the debate by saying whoever won, it was “not bad for India at all.”
“In fact if you look at the packages offered by both the candidates for India, we have no reasons to worry. Either of them will be good for India. The thing is if you look at the bilateral package then McCain is offering a little more. It is even more than what George W Bush had offered,” Mansingh explained.
“As far as outsourcing is concerned, Obama had initially said that he would punish American companies that ship jobs out of the US. But he has also said that American kids are facing competition from Bangalore and Beijing. Then he added that the solution is not to raise a wall against the US. The idea is to give better education and make Americans more competitive,” he added.
Agreeing with Mansingh, Dasgupta reasoned that it is America’s election and they will vote on their domestic issues.
“Talk about McCain’s presidency seems somewhat hypothetical. Having said that it is quite clear that there are two issues which are affecting India quite crucially as far as this US elections are concerned. The two issues are economics strategic issues. So there will be powerful strains, particularly when Obama raises questions like Kashmir,” Dasgupta said.
He explained that “puerile campus radicalism” of Obama will not be good for India.
However, Mattoo said that he was surprised with what Mansingh and Dasgupta were saying.
“India is not a Mickey mouse country. Frankly, it doesn’t make a difference whether Obama or McCain wins. India matters to both Democrats and Republicans. India today is an emerging power. So America needs India almost as much as India needs America,” Mattoo argued.
As the debate gathered steam, the panelists wanted to know what Obama felt about India and its policies.
Replying to the questions, Chaudhuri said, “He certainly loves the world’s largest democracy without doubt. He has a connection with Indians and Indian Americans in a way that no other presidency has ever shown. He comes from a family that has always supported education. Basically, he shares our values.”
But will he stop jobs from being outsourced from America to India? Will he be a protectionist president?
Chaudhuri said, “If he does become President then he will try to turn the economy around. He will change and try to reestablish the position of US in the world. When it comes to outsourcing, Obama is going to do everything to create a new generation of jobs. As far as losing jobs that are going to other countries, we will have to figure out something new. Right now we are exporting jobs and debt. We have to turn that around.”
To India, with love from US
Many analysts have said that Republic presidents are better for Indians. McCain is a free-marketeer, he does not believe in protectionism. In economic terms, McCain will be a better choice for India.
However, Mansingh said, “This story of a party being more friendly than the other is a myth. It is not supported by any empirical evidence. Let’s look at the packages that the two are offering to India.”
“McCain promises to continue the strategic partnership. He supports the nuclear deal without any reservations. And he has said that he will kick out Russia from G8 and make India a permanent member. So he wants a close relationship with India,” Mansingh explained.
“Now Obama started off in a very hesitant manner. He was not very supportive on the nuclear deal. He proposed killer amendments to the Hyde Act which were fortunately not passed. But now he has come around to the view that the nuclear deal is good and he will support it. The areas of concern that we have is the letter he wrote to the Prime Minister on September 23. There he said that his top priority will be sending the CTBT for ratification,” he added.
Taking the cue from Mansingh, Dasgupta said, “This is a very serious matter that the Government chose not to publicize that letter. It is very ominous that we may just get this non-proliferation evangelist. So we might just see a situation where the nuclear deal which meant something as far as George Bush was concerned might be interpreted into something completely different. So there should be an element of caution if the Obama administration comes into power.”
So will Obama hamper India’s ambitions? Will Obama have to toe the Democrat line on proliferation?
“Obama has broken the mould of traditional American politics. Now India has declared a unilateral moratorium. We need to take a more nuanced view of Obama's statements,” Mattoo reasoned.
Straw poll:
Out of all the American Presidents, who has done the most service to Indo-US relations?
Mansingh: There is no question that George W Bush has done the most. But I don't see a panic with Obama coming in because he has a world view which is very close to ours.
Dasgupta: Unequivocally it is Bush. But with Franklin Roosevelt a close second.
Mattoo: Bush is certainly one of the best Presidents as far as India is concerned. But let us not forget that Richard Nixon was also a Republic, but he was probably the worst as far as India is concerned. If Obama wins we should be willing to work with him and should not take a cynical view of him.
Results of the SMS poll: Will McCain be good for India?
Yes - 44 per cent
No - 56 per cent
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
