Click to play videoNew Delhi: Now that American has elected its new President, the question is how good will an Obama presidency be for India?
Both Democrats and Republicans have been good for India in the last decade.
After India's Shakti series of nuclear tests in 1998, it was the Democrat President Bill Clinton who made the first move on course correction with India.
Former Ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh says, "Clinton sent his special emissary Strobe Talbot for discussion. Jaswant Singh dialogue lasted for 18 months and that was the turning point in our relationship with the US.”
His Republican successor George Bush went even further, bending the arms of non-proliferation hardliners in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and his own prickly Congress to give India the nuclear deal.
Indo-US relations expert Anupam Srivastava says, "Bush administration especially in the second term has worked very well diligently with India to both create a platform for joint capability development. Another four years of Republican administration would have cemented much more.
Reason enough why India would root for John McCain.
He would continue the strategic partnership; however, would want more concessions from India on global warming and climate change.
He could get tougher with Pakistan on terror and open diplomatic doors to Iran, thereby easing some of the pressure on India's Iran policy.
But like all Democrats, Obama can be expected to get tough with India on nonproliferation.
Mansingh says, “Obama made clear in his letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that though he is quite supportive of the nuclear deal, he made clear that he intends to send the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) and the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) for ratification.
With Obama as US president, India may have to weigh a million dollar option, surrendering the right to test a nuclear device which is what signing the CTBT means.
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