02-28-2006, 12:58 AM
<span style='font-family:Courier'><!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo--> Dateline Washington
âIndia doesnât need US help to become world powerâ
by Ashish Kumar Sen
Richard Celeste
Mr Richard Celeste served as the U.S. Ambassador in New Delhi at the time of President Bill Clintonâs visit to India in March, 2000. The trip, the first by a U.S. President in over two decades, marked an upswing in U.S.-India relations.
Mr Celeste, who currently serves as President of Colorado College, and his wife Jacqueline Lundquist, forged their own special bonds with India. On the eve of U.S. President George W. Bushâs visit to India, Mr. Celeste discusses the transformation of the U.S.-India relationship and some of the challenges ahead in an interview.
Excerpts:
Q. In what way has the U.S.-India relationship evolved since President Clintonâs visit to India?
A: President Clintonâs visit was historic â the first [to India] by a U.S. President in 22 years. Staying five days and travelling well beyond the official venues in Delhi, Clinton captured the imagination and affection of ordinary Indians. In his remarkable speech in the Central Hall of Parliament, Clinton laid out the framework for an emerging partnership â one welcomed and strengthened by Prime Minister [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee on his reciprocal visit to the U.S. in September, 2000.
Q. Some analysts describe President Clinton and his administration as pioneers of the new U.S.-India relationship. Could you describe the role you played in this change and the challenges you faced?
A: I worked hard to keep a high-level dialogue going between our two nations in the difficult aftermath of Indiaâs decision to declare and demonstrate its nuclear capability.
Q. What expectations do you have from President Bushâs visit to India?
A: I believe that President Bush is every bit as committed to a strong relationship between the United States and India as President Clinton was. He has recognised the importance of our cooperation in fighting global terrorism; he has been a powerful advocate for reopening and expanding high-tech collaboration between our nations, including the arena of civilian nuclear energy; he will promote more open markets and expanded cooperation in science (especially health care) and education.
Q. The U.S. and India are now hailed as natural allies. What in your opinion was the turning point in this relationship?
A: Certainly the end of the Cold War and Indiaâs decision to open its economy to global markets were important enabling factors. I would cite two more recent factors that mark late 1999 and early 2000 as the turning point in my mind.
One factor was political leadership-the Vajpayee speech to the Asia Society in September 1999 when he first referred to our two nations as ânatural alliesâ (to the surprise of many, remember) and then the Clinton visit in March 2000.
The other factor is the Y2K crisis that obliged business leaders in the U.S. to scour the world for IT skills and introduced Indiaâs enormously talented manpower to our business leaders. Today the 24/7 bond between companies in the US and service providers in India is the stuff of books and myth-making.
Q. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the Bush administration wants to help turn India into a âmajor world power in the 21st century.â Why does India matter to the U.S.?
A: India does not need our âhelpâ to become a major world power: that is bound to happen and the only question is how soon. The fact is that the political and economic systems of our nations are complementary in many ways. We need to explore them and expand them in ways that benefit the people of both lands.
India and the U.S. have deep intellectual ties, nurtured by several generations of scientific collaboration. We have deep genetic ties with over two million Americans of Indian origin who have assumed leadership roles in every profession and even every level of political life. We have shared strategic interests - particularly in fighting terrorists who have repeatedly threatened both countries.
Q. To what extent is the threat of China responsible for the closer relationship between the U.S. and India?
A: I do not think the leaders of the United States or of India see China as a âthreat.â I do think that we see China as a challenge. Part of that challenge is how China transforms itself into a modern democratic state, because without that its growing market economy is going to generate social stresses that may explode.
In India, those stresses simply lead to an election defeat for the incumbents. The other part of the challenge is how China resolves disputes along its borders. This directly impacts India, of course. But it also impacts the U.S. because of our historic relationship with Taiwan.
Q. What are some of the areas in which India and the U.S. can continue to build on their relationship?
A: Clearly there is a great opportunity for India to encourage more foreign direct investment, especially in retail, real estate and infrastructure. We should nurture robust collaborations in science and technology-and I would put health care, nanotechnology, alternative energy and information security at the top of the list.
Q. What are some of the challenges that face the U.S.-India relationship?
A: We need to find a way to cooperate in curbing nuclear proliferation, and preventing rogue states or terrorist groups from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. We need to protect each otherâs intellectual property in an age where that will drive commercial value. We need to invest in trade and development strategies that spread the fruits of economic growth more broadly to those at the margins of both societies. </span>
âIndia doesnât need US help to become world powerâ
by Ashish Kumar Sen
Richard Celeste
Mr Richard Celeste served as the U.S. Ambassador in New Delhi at the time of President Bill Clintonâs visit to India in March, 2000. The trip, the first by a U.S. President in over two decades, marked an upswing in U.S.-India relations.
Mr Celeste, who currently serves as President of Colorado College, and his wife Jacqueline Lundquist, forged their own special bonds with India. On the eve of U.S. President George W. Bushâs visit to India, Mr. Celeste discusses the transformation of the U.S.-India relationship and some of the challenges ahead in an interview.
Excerpts:
Q. In what way has the U.S.-India relationship evolved since President Clintonâs visit to India?
A: President Clintonâs visit was historic â the first [to India] by a U.S. President in 22 years. Staying five days and travelling well beyond the official venues in Delhi, Clinton captured the imagination and affection of ordinary Indians. In his remarkable speech in the Central Hall of Parliament, Clinton laid out the framework for an emerging partnership â one welcomed and strengthened by Prime Minister [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee on his reciprocal visit to the U.S. in September, 2000.
Q. Some analysts describe President Clinton and his administration as pioneers of the new U.S.-India relationship. Could you describe the role you played in this change and the challenges you faced?
A: I worked hard to keep a high-level dialogue going between our two nations in the difficult aftermath of Indiaâs decision to declare and demonstrate its nuclear capability.
Q. What expectations do you have from President Bushâs visit to India?
A: I believe that President Bush is every bit as committed to a strong relationship between the United States and India as President Clinton was. He has recognised the importance of our cooperation in fighting global terrorism; he has been a powerful advocate for reopening and expanding high-tech collaboration between our nations, including the arena of civilian nuclear energy; he will promote more open markets and expanded cooperation in science (especially health care) and education.
Q. The U.S. and India are now hailed as natural allies. What in your opinion was the turning point in this relationship?
A: Certainly the end of the Cold War and Indiaâs decision to open its economy to global markets were important enabling factors. I would cite two more recent factors that mark late 1999 and early 2000 as the turning point in my mind.
One factor was political leadership-the Vajpayee speech to the Asia Society in September 1999 when he first referred to our two nations as ânatural alliesâ (to the surprise of many, remember) and then the Clinton visit in March 2000.
The other factor is the Y2K crisis that obliged business leaders in the U.S. to scour the world for IT skills and introduced Indiaâs enormously talented manpower to our business leaders. Today the 24/7 bond between companies in the US and service providers in India is the stuff of books and myth-making.
Q. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the Bush administration wants to help turn India into a âmajor world power in the 21st century.â Why does India matter to the U.S.?
A: India does not need our âhelpâ to become a major world power: that is bound to happen and the only question is how soon. The fact is that the political and economic systems of our nations are complementary in many ways. We need to explore them and expand them in ways that benefit the people of both lands.
India and the U.S. have deep intellectual ties, nurtured by several generations of scientific collaboration. We have deep genetic ties with over two million Americans of Indian origin who have assumed leadership roles in every profession and even every level of political life. We have shared strategic interests - particularly in fighting terrorists who have repeatedly threatened both countries.
Q. To what extent is the threat of China responsible for the closer relationship between the U.S. and India?
A: I do not think the leaders of the United States or of India see China as a âthreat.â I do think that we see China as a challenge. Part of that challenge is how China transforms itself into a modern democratic state, because without that its growing market economy is going to generate social stresses that may explode.
In India, those stresses simply lead to an election defeat for the incumbents. The other part of the challenge is how China resolves disputes along its borders. This directly impacts India, of course. But it also impacts the U.S. because of our historic relationship with Taiwan.
Q. What are some of the areas in which India and the U.S. can continue to build on their relationship?
A: Clearly there is a great opportunity for India to encourage more foreign direct investment, especially in retail, real estate and infrastructure. We should nurture robust collaborations in science and technology-and I would put health care, nanotechnology, alternative energy and information security at the top of the list.
Q. What are some of the challenges that face the U.S.-India relationship?
A: We need to find a way to cooperate in curbing nuclear proliferation, and preventing rogue states or terrorist groups from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. We need to protect each otherâs intellectual property in an age where that will drive commercial value. We need to invest in trade and development strategies that spread the fruits of economic growth more broadly to those at the margins of both societies. </span>