The Prime Minister's visit had not raised great expectations, given certain ambivalence in US policy formulations on India in the recent past, but the outcome extended well beyond rhetorics with substantive pointers in areas of immediate concern to New Delhi including partnership in counter-terrorism and early operationalisation of the India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The two leaders reiterated their intention to realise the full potential of India-US agreement for cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy through implementation of its provisions, and agreed to expedite US firm participation in that process.

Coming in the wake of the US President's visit to China with a joint communique nebulously suggesting a role for the latter in South Asia and vis-a-vis India-Pakistan, President Obama had to go the extra mile to reaffirm the global strategic partnership of the world's two largest democracies in addressing the challenges of the 21st century. Announcing a new phase in this partnership, the US-India joint statement said the two countries would harness their shared values and expand their partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and for the betterment of the world.

President Obama said after “productive” talks with Dr. Manmohan Singh that USA welcomed and encouraged India's leadership not only in helping to shape “the rise of stable, peaceful and prosperous Asia” but also its pivotal role, beyond Asia, as a member of G-20, in meeting the economic and other major challenges for the world. Mr. Obama has accepted the Prime Minister's invitation to visit India next year.

Reflecting the President's top economic priority, creating jobs with good wages for the American people (with recession rendering over eight million jobless), Dr. Manmohan Singh said they resolved to intensify the two-way trade, investment and economic cooperation in ways that create jobs and prosperity in both countries and stimulates global economic recovery. The India-US strategic dialogue at the foreign ministers' level announced in July last will be complemented by USA-India Economic and Financial Partnership to focus on macro-economic policy, financial sector and infrastructure development. US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geitherner would visit India in April next year to launch this with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as a “significantly elevated” platform for greater economic cooperation between India and USA.

Describing Indo-US relationship as multi-faceted, Dr. Manmohan Singh said the two countries would support each other's growth and prosperity and cooperate in addressing global challenges of combating terrorism, making our environment cleaner, and moving towards a world free of nuclear weapons. The Prime Minister noted that there was “constructive exchange of views” on strategic issues: Defence cooperation is progressing well, he said, and they agreed on the “early and full implementation of our civil nuclear cooperation agreement. Our strategic partnership should facilitate transfer of high technology to India, lifting controls on US high technology exports.” The Prime Minister reaffirmed India's unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing while USA said it stood by its testing moratorium and that it was committed to ratify CTBT and bring it in force at an early date.

A significant outcome is the improved prospect of an accord in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (Dec.7-18) which is expected to be attended by President Obama, who will reportedly indicate an emission cut target of 17 per cent over 1990 levels by 2020. This would depend on similar targeted reductions by developed countries and “nationally appropriate mitigation actions” by developing countries. The Indo-US joint statement said the two leaders agreed to enter into a “Green Partnership” and reaffirmed their intention to promote full, effective and sustained implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in accordance with Bali Action Plan.

The Indo-US statement is similar to the US-China communique which said the Copenhagen outcome must be comprehensive and cover mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. It should reflect reduction targets by developed nations, nationally appropriate actions by other countries, substantial scale-up of financial resources to support mitigation and adaptation in developing countries and measures for promoting technological change. President Obama had been encountering criticism, mainly outside USA, that he was abdicating international responsibility by not committing himself to an emission reduction target.

The President has his problem with the Congress in getting through climate change legislation. A bill passed by the House proposing 17 per cent reduction over the 2005 level of emissions by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050 is stuck in the Senate. There is resistance to the cap and trade mechanism to bring about carbon emission reductions and also a requirement that the Administration should not make any commitment unless countries like China and India came on board. Apparently Mr. Obama feels encouraged he can break the logjam and announce a modest target at Copenhagen in the light of the qualified commitments that countries including China, Brazil and India are coming forward to make.

The new counter-terrorism initiative decided on during the Prime Minister's visit will expand cooperation on counter-terrorism measures including information sharing and capacity building. In this context, President Obama reiterated US condemnation of the terrorist attack in Mumbai (Nov.26, 2008). The two leaders in their statement underscored the absolute imperative to bring to justice the perpetrators of the terrorist attack. They also expressed grave concern about threats of terrorism posed by violent extremists emanating from India's neighbourhood. They called for resolute and credible steps to eliminate safe havens and sanctuaries, which provide shelter to terrorists and their activities.

President Obama appreciated India's role in reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan and the two leaders agreed to enhance their respective efforts in this direction. President Obama was expected to announce by December 1 a plan to reinforce the strength of US troops in Afghanistan for accelerated counter-insurgency operations aimed defeating the Taliban forces which have gained ground and dismantling terrorist infrastructure and destroy hide-outs of al Qaeda militants before the Kabul government could take over security. (IPA Service)