Delhi’s Choice: Known Obama or Unknown Romney

As American Presidential campaign gets into top gear, the foreign policy establishment in Delhi might be looking for continuity rather than change in the White House.

This preference might seem counter-intuitive for many reasons. For one, in recent decades, India has had greater political comfort doing business with the Republicans rather than Democrats.

For another, Delhi was deeply anxious about the Obama presidency four years ago. Obama's thesis that Pakistan will be more cooperative on Afghanistan if India could be brought around to make compromises on Kashmir deeply worried India.

India's then ambassador to Washington, Ronen Sen, mounted a massive campaign to prevent the inclusion of Jammu & Kashmir in the mandate for Obama's special envoy to South Asia, Richard Holbrooke, who was appointed within a few days of the new president being sworn in.

Delhi was also concerned at the Obama Administration's talk on making China, the top strategic partner of the United States in Asia. There was informal talk of a G-2, or a Sino-US condominium, running Asian and world affairs that alarmed New Delhi.

India was also anxious if Obama, who as a Senator from Illinois had raised many questions about the US-India nuclear deal, would help implement it as President.

Obama's record at the White House has helped dispel many of India's concerns. He has done everything possible for the quick implementation of the nuclear deal, despite the deep reservations within the Democratic Party's foreign policy establishment.

Obama was quick to walk away from the untenable idea of an American mediation on Kashmir. And then some. Obama has turned the traditional US policy towards Pakistan on its head.

After his initial effort to woo Pakistan with additional economic and military assistance failed, Obama has taken a very muscular approach to dealing with the sources of international terrorism in Pakistan.

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