India

Jim Hoagland, in an Op-ed in the Washington Post, titled Bush's Indian Ally, wrote that India is speaking up positively about the role of America in the World.

At a time when even friendly governments are quick to distance themselves from the United States and its pugnacious, embattled president, India is a strategic maverick. The former firebrand of the Non-Aligned Movement has chosen this moment to forge a close partnership with Washington and to speak up positively about American power in world affairs.

India is being very smart. They know their are in direct competition with China. India knows that it can't beat China economically in the next 50 years. India is the 30th biggest country in exports while China is 3rd. India without a doubt wants to play a role in the global community. Look at the non-align movement, India was the biggest supporter of this movement. Now it realizes that i must be friendly with America because it knows it can't do it economically, maybe they can do it strategic by becoming a closer ally to the west. China it seems to following a different route, not playing towards the west but towards gaining middle income nations most in South America as allies. This might backfire on China due to the fact that India, for the most part, already has good relations with Africa, Asia, and South America due to the non-aligned movement and its status as the leading development nation. It doesn't due too well in the middle east due to the Kashmir conflict. China on the other hand seems to be making progress in this area. India isn't Bush's ally per say but rather America's ally. I think they would be doing what they are doing now whomever is in the White House. Singh is a smart guy who seems well liked by many so i don't think he would have had any trouble getting the support of any administration. In this nuclear agreement, India put enough concessions which should prevent any major problems though its passage. Can congress really vote down an agreement that allows some inspection to take place on India's nuclear arsenal.

I'm quite glad that India has realized this and has continued on with this. Several American politicians are smart enough to realize it. John Kerry has been one of the biggest supporters of a new global role for India. The Bush administration, in my mind, realizes that India is beneficial in the short period but I'm not too sure in the long term. However, this nuclear deal is very much a long term deal that should pave the away for more agreements and a closer friendship between India and America.