Indo-US Strategic Relations Moving from Estrangement to Engagement

摘要

The chief scientist of India's Nuclear Test Program signaled 'The Buddha has smiled' to Mr AB Vajpayee, the Indian Prime Minister in Delhi which meant that the planned nuclear tests (also known as the Pokharn Tests) had been successfully carried out at 9 AM on 11 May 98. There was, predictably, no cause for smiles in the Clinton administration in Washington, however; they were surprised and stunned by these entirely unexpected tests. Sanctions were automatically imposed on India following these tests, as mandated by Section 102 of the Arms Export Control Act, otherwise known as the Glenn Amendment. Not only the US but several other countries including Russia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, UK, France, China, Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, Finland as well as the UN expressed dismay and shock, and some imposed their own set of sanctions. However these measures did not have the intended effect on the Indian economy. Yet just four years after these tests India's relations with all these countries were back on an even keel and indeed flourishing. With the United States relations have taken a dramatic turn with real transformation underway in the quality and intensity of consultation and co operation especially in strategic areas. For example Washington held eight rounds of talks (also referred to as the Singh-Talbot talks) with New Delhi between June 1998 and February 1999. This became the longest extended strategic dialogue between senior American and Indian officials ever to take place. In fact in the last two years alone over a hundred officials of the President's Cabinet and other senior officials have visited India, which is very rare in itself. Over twenty institutional forums and working groups at the government level are now in place. The tragic events of September 11 2002 have also contributed to this transformation.