A democratic, moderate Pakistan would be a boon to peace in the region and possibly give India an extra market in which to trade. India is now the dominant power on the South Asia continent. An autocratic Pakistan that is economically dysfunctional is not in the interest of either the United States or India. Pakistan stands between the forces of Islamic radicalism and modernity.
Great Britain was the inspiration for both the United States and India in the values of freedom. Both nations now have the responsibility to spread those values throughout the world. A country of over a billion people will never be a junior partner in any relationship and, unlike Great Britain, India will be an equal partner based on its potential as an economic and nuclear power. With nearly a million Indians living in Diaspora throughout the United States, there is a personal connection being developed between these two nations. These immigrants live in America but much of their heart belongs to India. These people to people contacts further cement relations between these countries. These contacts also bring down the veil between these countries as well. As India learns more about the United States, we also learn more about India.
India will prove useful in battling terrorists and defending the West. India, for many years, has set itself apart from the West but in recent years, this is beginning to change. Gone are the days of reflective anti-American attitudes that infiltrated Indian leadership and there is a more balanced approach to world events. It will be imperative among American policy makers to entice India to a permanent member of the Anglosphere.
Article comments