NEW DELHI: In a war of words that has alarmed U.S, officials here and in Washington, Indian authorities say relations between the two countries have reached their lowest point in two decades, threatening blossoming economic ties and American efforts to control nuclear proliferation in the region.

Headings in the Indian press have grown increasingly vitriolic over the past several weeks, accusing the Clinton administration of un fairly attacking India on human rights issues and its handling of a civil war in the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, and taking sides with India’s neighbor and arch enemy, Pakistan.

U S S. officials have said Indian authorities are overreacting to relatively trivial comments made by President Clinton and others in his administration, But they concede that the misunderstandings could affect U.S. credibility on nuclear proliferation and political stability in this region, considered a potential Mash point for nuclear war between India and Pakistan.

The barbed political rhetoric comes after a period of steady improvement in economic and military relations between the two countries, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, India is no longer flirting with the communist bloc and the United States has curtailed weapons sales to Pakistan.

A new program of economic liberalization launched about two years ago by the government of Prime Minis ter P.V.Narasimha Rao has attracted hundreds of U.S. businesses to India and strengthened economic ties between the two countries. American businesses consider India with its ballooning middel class almost as large as the pupation of the United States potentially one of the greatest new consumer markets in the world. ‘The United States already is India largest trading partner politic U;S. business Ieaders do not want to see overtaken by rapidly cx pending Indian trade relations with  Southeast Asian nations.

However, some diplomatic blunders and cultural missteps by U.S officials, and the heated reaction by the Indians, highlight the tyranny of the relationship between the two nations.

What India sees as the biggest insult by Washington is the absence of a U.S. ambassador here. Which Indians see as a symbol of Washington’s indifference to their country? U.S. officials also say that having an ambassador in Delhi might have prevented some minor differences from being blown out of proportion. Controversy over the possible selection of for U.S, Representative Steven Solarz’ (DN.Y.) to fill the job has been one of the delaying factors. Major policy differences also exist between the world’s two largest democracies, The Clinton administration is unhappy with India’s human rights record especially in Kashmir, whore Indian security forces have been accused of killing, raping and torturing innocent civilians and with its refusal to Sign the nuclear. Non Proliferator Treaty. India accuses the United States of tilting toward Pakistan in its South Asia policies and of meddling in its internal affairs. t In January, Indians were irked by a letter from Clinton to a member of Congress referring to “Sikh rights” in Punjab and another least from Clinton to the director of a Washington based Kashmir Successionist group saying, “I look forward to working with you and others to help bring peace to Kashmir.” Both letters were replaces to letters written to Clinton.

While the letters would appear to be standard courtesy replies, U.S; officials issued clarifications saying they were penned by White House letter writers unfamiliar with the nuances of South Asian Policies, leading a sort of faux pas of the week quality to US. Pronouncements

For both India and Pakistan, any Statement or Political move made by the United States benefits one of the enemies to the detriment of the other. As a result, India is now even more sensitive about any over trues made by the United States to improve its relation with its once close ally, Pakistan.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1994