Is Barack Obama and his entourage visiting India to taste its curry and the famous non-vegetarian cuisine at the Maurya Sheraton in New Delhi? Or, to visit the sites connected with Mahatma Gandhi? Or, market the US arms? Or, help US business and trade make further inroads into Indian market? A recent article, and the comments that follow, in Wall Street Journal provides some intersting insights.
What strategic value can OBAMA bring to the negotiating table? asks a reader of WSJ. “His party has lost the majority in the House, lost seats in the Senate, several Governorships. Over 700+ Senate seats in the State houses. Iraq and AF-PAK are not going well. The confidence of the American voting public was just demonstrated on Nov 2, 2010.
“So why is he here in INDIA? Need defense contracts for billions of dollars which will play well in the US. Why should INDIA give him the edge when his administration has funded PAKISTAN Military with billions of $’s in Military Aid. INDIA is watching the grotesque waste of US Taxpayers money with 3,000 staff, 34 Ships, 40 cars, complete hotels booked for the entourage, a cost of $200Million a day and $2Billion for the trip. A cost very necessary when the US Deficit is $13Trillion and cumulative deficit in the area of $200Trillion. This Emperor wears no clothes…”
Another reader defends the visit: “Perhaps you are not aware – America’s International Trade with India is at $15 bn for the first six months of 2010… which is not much compared to US’s trade with China in same period of – $400 bn. However, what important is that US has a positive balance in its trade with India of a few billion vs a negative trade balance with China in the same period of – $240 bn.
“So the Chinese may be lending US money but that is because they rip-off about half a trillion on trade with the US every year. Which means, when you go and buy that stuff that’s a little cheaper from Best Buy or Banana Republic or Walmart you are enriching China.
In contrast, US is about to make a big sale of arms to India – i.e. stuff made in USA (I hope with some pride). Which means when a country starts buying your arms they are getting invested in your technology, support, parts, etc… which to me translates into jobs for Americans working in the Defense Industry.
“Obama is also hoping to make headway in having India make some law changes that will allow Americans to sell technology for nuclear power-plants to India – that market is presently being valued at $150 bn. China, Russia, France and Japan have moved fast and have been selling to India. while American companies are caught up in stupid petty politics of trade restrictions… which IMHO is America’s loss.
“Obama is hoping to get a piece of that Nuclear action – if US can get 1/3rd of that business (which I know they can if they get serious about it) is worth $50 bn for starters. India is also poised to spend about a trillion to update its infrastructure… and trust me money goes a lot further in India… If US construction and equipment companies move fast they can make a lot of money and also export American engineers and construction experts to India to help with the huge undertaking… now would you rather have Americans go to Middle East and be treated as pigs or have them go to India and be treated as special people… and also have them make all that money?
“So – quit complaining, think with an open mind and start enjoying the curry.”
Now we come to main article: “As if traffic from the Diwali (festival) rush and security for President Barack Obama wasn’t enough, Mumbai airport is going to have to find space for more than 20 corporate jets on its crowded tarmac this weekend as executives from across the U.S. converge on India’s financial capital.
“Representatives from around 250 U.S. companies are part of Mr. Obama’s extended entourage during his visit to India which starts Saturday. Much of his first day here will be focused on America’s business bonds with India.” More here…
Says Rupa Subramanya Dehejia in WSJ: “Here’s a quick recap of the summer that was for U.S. India bilateral trade and investment: Infosys was compared to a chop shop, H1-B visa fees were hiked, and outsourcing was banned in Ohio. This is something American businesses and presumably President Barack Obama will want to forget or at least deflect attention from during their time in India.
“The visit will feature the largest-ever contingent of investors and CEOs of major American companies to accompany a U.S. president on a state visit anywhere. They’ll be meeting their Indian counterparts in Mumbai at a summit chaired by the President himself. And these businessmen are hungry. Not only at the thought of sampling some fine Indian food but more importantly at the prospect of doing good business in India.
“So what’s going on here?’ See here…
Little expectations from Obama’s visit, says India Inc. More here…
From The Economist: “ON THE eve of the 2008 New Hampshire primary Bill Clinton finally gave vent to his fury with the Obama campaign. He dismissed Barack Obama’s message as ‘the biggest fairy tale’ he had ever heard. (‘Give…me…a…break,’ he roared at the startled crowd.) And he denounced underhand tactics, particularly a description of Hillary Clinton as ‘the senator from Punjab’.
“On November 5th Mr Obama, fresh from his humiliation in the mid-term elections, flies to India accompanied by an entourage of almost 250 businesspeople. His message for the folks back home will be that India could be a goldmine for American jobs. And he will clinch a succession of huge business deals with India—not least a $5.8 billion aircraft sale by Boeing.” More here…
Here’s The Financial Times take on the subject… “Indeed, India has risen to become the US’s 14th biggest trade partner. Obama’s trip may do a modest, but acceptable, job of propelling it towards the top ten.”
In New Delhi, a teleprompter will make a historic debut in India’s parliament for Obama’s speech to about 780 Indian lawmakers. Indian leaders either speak extempore or read from a written speech, says The Washington Post.
“Even Bollywood could not stay away from using the Obama metaphor. In an upcoming Hindi film titled “Phas Gaye Re Obama” (“Obama is in a Fix”), director Subhash Kapoor said he portrays a bunch of Obama-loving Indian gangsters struggling amid the economic recession. The comedy isn’t coming out until after the president’s visit.” More here…
Naresh Chandra, former Indian ambassador to the U.S., said a U.S. dismantling of export controls on India is “a long time coming and would be a big breakthrough, but it would be a “big disappointment” if the U.S. only tinkers with the restrictions in a minor fashion. “If the outcome isn’t substantial, it will be much ado about nothing,” he said.
Mr. Obama told an Indian news agency Wednesday that the export issue is “very difficult and complicated,” lowering expectations in New Delhi somewhat. More here…
My earlier post on Obama visit here…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.