On a mission to India to build an "economic strategic dialogue" and give a fillip to trade and commerce, it was expected that Mumbai had to be in his itinerary. It was normal too to meet Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh - being the Chief Minister of the business capital of India.

Deshmukh met Ackerman on Monday minus his perennial tag, his deputy Chhagan Bhujbal. Maybe that is why Ackerman was interested in who tailored Deshmukh's clothes! Finding Vilasrao Deshmukh extremely "well groomed" Ackerman asked the Chief Minister: "Who is your tailor?" A pleased Deshmukh responded by assuring his distinguished visitor that the tailor would be made available to him and he would be presented with a similar set of Indian dress.

Ackerman was insistent, according to a very reliablesource, that there should be increased trade dialogue between Maharashtra and New York. "We have to get you to US as soon as possible," Ackerman told the well-groomed chief minister, "You have a good story to tell." Ackerman asked Deshmukh to lead a trade delegation to US and explore areas of co-operation between the trade districts of New York and Mumbai.

While reportedly accepting Ackerman's suggestion, Deshmukh, however, seemed to be more worried whether Mumbai would be in Clinton's itinerary when he visited India early next year. Making a strong case for Clinton in Mumbai, Deshmukh requested Ackerman to use his influence to see that Mumbai was in the President's list of places to visit. Ackerman reportedly told Deshmukh that he would certainly try, but did not give any firm assurances, since the itinerary was fixed by a special committee meant for the purpose.

If Deshmukh thought he had upstaged the NCP, since for some unknown reason Bhujbal was nowhere in the picture, he would have been disappointedsince NCP chief and his bete noire Sharad Pawar had his own tryst with Ackerman at the Primrose suite at Taj Intercontinental. The meeting did raise eye-brows since Pawar is only an MP now and not an opposition leader, but then it was explained that Pawar was an old friend of Ackerman.

Sources said that Pawar sought to ascertain through Ackerman the US stand vis-a-vis Nawaz Sharif, deposed Prime Minister of Pakistan now facing trial for treason. Ackerman is reported to have responded that the situation was being studied closely and the US was not in favour of Sharif being subjected to any serious punishment. The problem was apparently the extent of influence the Clinton regime could exercise on the General Musharraf dispensation.

Before meeting Pawar, Ackerman addressed the Indo-American Society and later the FICCI on the question of Indo-American trade relations. He regaled the responsive audience by exhibiting the traits that led him to be referred to as Mr India on Capitol Hill.

Making a strong pleafor increased dialogue on trade and commerce between US and India, Ackerman said this was one way to remove whatever little negativism existed in the wake of the Pokharan tests. "India stands today at the edge of greatness," Ackerman said, and added, "The next century could well be India's."

Ackerman advocated India's road to reforms forcefully. "There are those in the government sector industries," he said, "who are fearful that the new ways of privatisation and competition will cost them their jobs. And there are pampering politicians who promise to protect them at India's peril.

India is compassionate and compassionate mothers protect their vulnerable young; but there comes a time when the wise mother knows that she must not smother her children with compassion. To wise Mother India, I say the time is now."

The climate for an economic strategic dialogue is excellent according to Ackerman. "...We have had a lot of talk on sanctions that were put in place after Pokharan in May 1998. Most of these havebeen waived. We in the Congress acted decisively in giving the President permanent waiver authority so that the Administration could begin the process for a new and substantial relationship with India."

Ackerman's next leg of his India tour takes him to Calcutta.