During his recent five-day, high-profile visit to the U.S., India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi, had a distinct message for the various groups he addressed. These included the Indian diaspora, the international community, the U.S. administration, and top American CEOs.
I was among the more than 18,000 mostly Indian-Americans welcoming Modi at Madison Square Garden in New York, where he responded to chants of “Modi, Modi” by saying, “You have given me such a warm and loving welcome that I am deeply indebted to you. I want to repay the debt by promising you that you will be proud of the new India.”
More than 30 lawmakers from the U.S. House and Senate were also in attendance. The crowd loudly cheered when Modi pledged to speed the visa process for visitors from the United States. The Indian American Community Foundation orchestrated the entire show.
As Modi addressed the U.N. General Assembly and the Council on Foreign Relations, his message was clear: India is able and willing to shoulder its duty to be a responsible member of the world community.
As Modi and President Obama met in the Oval Office, Obama said, “We have so much in common, it is critical for us to deepen and broaden the existing framework and partnership that already exists.” Modi reciprocated, saying he expected the economic partnership between the U.S. and India “to grow rapidly in the coming years.” The Obama administration cleared the way for India to purchase American technology for clean energy projects with $1 billion in financing from the Export-Import Bank of the Untied States.
At a dinner given by President Obama in Modi’s honor at the White House, Modi drank only warm water as he was fasting in observance of the annual nine-day Hindu religious festival, Navaratri. In a joint statement, the two governments pledged to expand cooperation in multiple fields, including defense. Defense cooperation relates to maritime security, naval technology, and military exercises. They acknowledged the “need to use the institutions and expertise of the Montreal Protocol to reduce consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons.”
They said they will work jointly on efforts to “boost manufacturing and expand affordable renewable energy, while sustainably securing the future of our common environment.”
Earlier, Obama and Modi jointly authored a commentary in The Washington Post, saying that “as global partners, we are committing to enhancing our homeland security by sharing intelligence, through counterterrorism and law-enforcement cooperation, while we jointly work to maintain freedom of navigation and lawful commerce across the seas.” This language unequivocally shows shared concern with Chinese sovereignty claims and naval exercises and activities in the South China Sea.
For American business, Modi’s message was that India welcomes foreign direct investment with its vision of a transformed, business-friendly country free of bureaucratic red tape. And for people back home in India, the media played Modi’s image as a rock star who has given India’s status a well-deserved boost. The signal was clear that India is assuming a leadership role in the international arena.
While this visit succeeded in its intention to mend the strained relations between the U.S. and India, differences remain that cannot be glossed over. On the economic front, intellectual property rights remain a vexing issue. So are India’s rules on civil nuclear liability. On global trade, India’s dissatisfaction with progress on food security measures scuttled the World Trade Organization’s proposed trade facilitation agreement. The agreement would have reformed cumbersome customs procedures.
On the political front, differences exist, as well. The U.S. and India do not see eye-to-eye on many critical matters, such as Ukraine, Iran and Syria. Working groups from both countries are meeting to bridge these differences.
The visionary but also pragmatic Modi has reopened the door for further meaningful cooperation between the oldest democracy and the largest democracy in the world.
Ved Nanda (vnanda@law.du.edu) is Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law and director of the Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
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