By Tanima Banerjee:
Highlights of the good things about the Obama administration for India:
– Anglo-Indian participation in the election
– Flexible Outsourcing Policies fuelling India’s FDI policy
– Creating student-friendly immigration policies for Indians
– Check on Pakistan’s nuclear activities
– Joint military exercises with India
America has elected its 45th President in the name of Barack Obama, and created history. The question to be pondering upon would be as to what is India’s stake in the ObamaII government.
As a significant ally of the United States, India has much to look for in these elections.
Over the years, every US President has formulated his own policies towards India and issues pertaining to it. This year, surprisingly India was never mentioned by Obama during the campaigns. Yet he approached the vast population of Indo-Americans, allowing a couple of them to even contest in the elections this year. It is also true that once elected into the White House, they may exercise policies that affect India in the global market.
Obama has always maintained a fierce stature when it comes to the issue of outsourcing, often back lashing the Indian call centres. Yet, trade between India and America has prospered in the Obama regime. It is projected that Obama would be much more flexible with his outsourcing policy this year, which is in favour of India’s recent Foreign Direct Investment policy.
Obama’s approach towards Indian immigrant students has rather been encouraging. India has been granted more H1B visas. The immigrants can also look forward to the proposed amnesty that looks promising for those young aspirants searching for better academic opportunities in the United States.
The Obama administration has also promised to monitor Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, and follow a policy of intolerance towards terrorism. They have promised cooperation on defence with India, in terms of joint military exercises and weapons sale.
Hence the bottom line is that India can draw greatly from the historic win of Obama, provided it continues to be friendly and cooperative to this world power. India has much to look forward to, and hopefully the Obama government will abet the growth of India’s economy.