Community activists prepared widely distributed briefs, arguing that the bill was good for both nonproliferation and US strategic concerns. Beyond this, there was also the implicit threat of withdrawing support from members of Congress who voted against the nuclear deal.

Indian Americans are quickly learning the ways of hardball American politics. The New York Times on June 5, ran a front page story by a writer who was both surprised and impressed by the sophisticated lobbying campaign of the Indian American community on behalf of the nuclear deal. Of the several national political action groups formed by the community over the past decade, the most active and least factionalised has been the US Indian Political Action Committee. Over the past few weeks, it has coached the community on how to organize a massive letter writing campaign to members of Congress, keeping a running account of how members stand on this bill. The Indian American press has further publicised this lobbying.

Perhaps the most significant domestic political development to come of this intense lobbying is the enhanced political self-confidence of the two million strong Indian American community. They have the financial resources and the organisational capacity to be a powerhouse in American politics and they are learning how to use these assets to advance their interests.

The Bush administration, in its own lobbying of the Congress, has wisely focused on the larger strategic and economic advantages the US will gain. It has beaten back efforts to attach binding amendments that would limit India’s nuclear options. The battle is not yet over, as some opponents still want to attach such binding amendments to the bill when its comes up for a final vote, but the vote of the two Congressional committees in June suggests that what emerges from the Congress will be acceptable both to Manmohan Singh and George W Bush.

... contd.