India Rising

From the economy to Afghanistan to grand strategy, six looks at an emerging superpower.

NOVEMBER 5, 2010

It's been a tough week for Barack Obama, who is reeling from a crushing midterm election defeat, yet more bad economic news, and a domestic agenda under assault. No doubt the U.S. president is thrilled to be leaving Washington Friday on a 10-day tour of Asia, where he'll be welcomed by four democratic countries that are nervously watching the foundations of American supremacy crumble before their eyes, while China's growing economic swagger and military might shakes up the region’s balance of power.

Of these four -- India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea -- it's India that inspires the most hope among American strategists. Yet for all the talk of "natural allies," and despite all the excitement about India's emergence as a 21st century superpower-in-waiting, Washington and New Delhi haven't managed to tie the knot. Over the last two decades, economic and security ties between the two countries have blossomed, but deep differences of opinion remain. Will this be a watershed moment? Or another missed opportunity?

To find out, FP turned to some of the world's top experts on South Asia. Here's what they told us.

Whispers Behind the Welcome
By Sadanand Dhume

New Delhi's Grand Strategy
By C. Raja Mohan

India's Unfinished Business
By Arvind Pangariya

We Need an Indian Civilian Surge
By Richard Fontaine

New Delhi Surprise
By Sumit Ganguly

Weak Ties
By Anja Manuel

Obama's Asian Tour
An FP Photo Essay

TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP/Getty Images

 SUBJECTS: INDIA, SOUTH ASIA
 

MOORTHY MUTHUSWAMY

10:14 PM ET

November 5, 2010

Do not forget Pakistan

As the thousand pound gorilla of the region, Pakistan will seek to determine India's destiny.

This brings up the intriguing question:

Why have Pakistan and India evolved so differently?

The answer is a fascinating one: http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4138.html

 

MRPOLITISHQ

12:17 PM ET

November 6, 2010

Happened to read parts of your article..

I really wish it was better referenced though..

For instance, when you claim the following, "when the British announced a program in 1835 to introduce English in schools, Muslim clerics opposed the move by claiming that education imparted in English was at variance with the tenets of Islam", your reference is this - dailypioneer.com/131270/Islamists-block-social-reform.html (an article from 2010). I'm pretty certain clerics then opposed it, but the reference doesn't lead to the statement.

You do rightly say that Pakistan has been getting more and more radicalized on religious lines and quote the Pakistani writer Pervez Hoodbhoy to make your point. But you ignore a chunk of the same article where Hoodbhoy puts part of the blame on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the consequent religous mobilization that was funded by countries outside Pakistan. However, the invasion of Afghanistan, which then led to a foreign-funded and domestically-supported surge in religious fundamentalism is completely missing from your piece. You do point out the the process of radicalization but not the events that preceded it or the groups that sponsored it.

In fact, we know that "Ronald Reagan proclaimed “mujahideen” leaders the “moral equivalent of the founding fathers” of America" (tiny.cc/b4z1a) Certainly, love for jihadis wasn't simply a Pakistani affair.

You also claim that right from its birth, Pakistan has "embark[ed] on a sharia-jihad buildup", but provide no reference. I'm guessing you are referring to the Pak-supported tribal assault on Kashmir in 1947. But since then, has there been the kind of build-up as we have seen happen in the 1980s? I would like a reference for this.

Hope you shall take my questions in the right spirit..

 

ABRAHAMCILD

11:00 AM ET

November 15, 2010

India rising is a pipe-dream

However, the invasion tatil of Afghanistan, which then led to a foreign-funded filmcin and domestically-supported surge in religious fundamentalism is completely missing from your piece. You do point out the the process of radicalization gazeteler but not the events that preceded it or the groups klip izle that sponsored it.

 

BCOBB107

8:19 AM ET

December 4, 2010

India Rising

From the economy to Afghanistan to grand strategy, six looks at an emerging superpower. However, the invasion tatil of Afghanistan, which then led to a foreign-funded filmcin and domestically-supported surge in religious fundamentalism is completely missing from your piece. You do point out the the process of radicalization gazeteler but not the events that preceded it or the groups klip izle that sponsored it. "Of these four -- India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea -- it's India that inspires the most hope among American strategists. Yet for all the talk of "natural allies," and despite all the excitement about India's emergence as a 21st century superpower-in-waiting, Washington and New Delhi haven't managed to tie the knot canon laserclass 9500s compatible printer ink. Over the last two decades, economic and security ties between the two countries have blossomed, but deep differences of opinion remain. Will this be a watershed moment? Or another missed opportunity?" But since then, has there been the kind of build-up as we have seen happen in the 1980s? I would like a reference for this. Hope you shall take my questions in the right spirit.