Bush's South Asia trip

The most significant stage reached in the evolution of Indo-US relationship is represented by the strategic partnership in nuclear cooperation lately forged between the two countries. India is a non-signatory to the NPT, but has agreed to IAEA inspection of some nuclear installations while keeping the rest out of its purview. India would receive cooperation from the USA, in terms of the treaty to generate nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The idea seems to be that her critical dependence on conventional energy sources will be reduced, so that her quest for pipeline supplies could be largely obviated.

The question that inevitably crops up is whether the rules and terms of US South Asian engagement are changing, or the pattern of emphases is? Perhaps, both. It seems that the US has been treating her relationship with India and that with Pakistan on two different levels. Pakistan's longing for similar nuclear cooperation with the US has not met with success. The only concession given to Islamabad appears to be the withdrawal of US complaint against a gas pipeline from Iran going through Pakistan to India. Besides, Bush has given to understand that Washington is not standing in the way of Beijing-Islamabad nuclear talks.

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While Pakistan has received a pat on the back for her supportive role in the coalition against terrorism, the praise sounded somewhat qualified when Bush says much remains to be done to eliminate the al-Qaeda.

The chief concern for the smaller South Asian states is whether there would be a tendency towards an intensified arms race between India and Pakistan. If that is how it is going to work out for the smaller states in SAARC, then who is a gainer, or a loser, only the future turn of events can tell.