Bush rolls out new India map

Mr. Bush strongly defended the outsourcing of American jobs to India, which he described as the reality of a global economy...He added that India's growth — its middle class is now estimated at 300 million people, greater than the population of the United States — had opened a vital new market for American goods, from jets to fast food. "Younger Indians are acquiring a taste for pizza from Domino's," Mr. Bush said. "And Air India ordered 68 planes valued at more than $11 billion from Boeing." By ELISABETH BUMILLER The New York Times : February 23, 2006

C. RAJA MOHAN Indian Express: Thursday, February 23, 2006 NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 22: After nearly six wasted decades of political alienation between the world’s largest democracies, US President George Bush today unveiled what he called an “ambitious and practical” five-fold path for the transformation of relations with India. Addressing the 50th year of the Asia Society in Washington a week before he arrives in India, Bush underlined five areas of shared interests between India and the United States:

1. These include the war against terrorism,
2. supporting democratic institutions in other countries,
3. promoting economic prosperity through free trade,
4. addressing global challenges of health and environment
5. and developing clean-energy technologies, especially new techniques of nuclear power generation.

In a speech that lasted over half an hour, Bush set the tone right in the beginning: “More than five centuries ago, Christopher Columbus set out for India and proved the world was round. Now some look at India’s growing economy and say that that proves the world is flat.” America’s relationship with India and Pakistan, he said, is important “for our economic security..and for our national security.” He then went on to define this relationship against the backdrop of India’s growth story, its secular, pluralistic democracy, its growing affluence and its young talent. “The people of America and India understand that a key part of defeating the terrorists is to replace their ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope. And so we will continue to work together to advance the cause of liberty”, Bush said.

Bush sang a paean to Indian democracy and demanded that Pakistan ensure “open”, “free and fair” polls in the general elections slated for 2007, as he emphasised his conviction that democracy is the best antidote to terrorism. Highlighting India’s role in strengthening political pluralism around the world, Bush pointed to the contributions India is already making to the success of fledgling democratic institutions in Afghanistan. “India’s work in Afghanistan is a good example of India’s commitment to emerging democracies. India has pledged $565 million to help the Afghan people repair the infrastructure and get back on their feet”, Bush said.

Reminding American people that India had a Muslim President and a Sikh Prime Minister, Bush said, “India is a good example of how freedom can help different people live together in peace. And this commitment to secular government and religious pluralism makes India a natural partner for the United States.” “In the past, the Cold War and regional tensions kept us apart, but today, our interests and values are bringing us closer together”, Bush argued.

Directly confronting and rejecting the traditional American hostility towards India on nuclear non-proliferation and more recent concerns about outsourcing American jobs, Bush underlined America ’s own interest in India’s growth and prosperity. Extending full civilian nuclear cooperation to India would help reduce the pressure on oil prices and in creating a better global environment, Bush said. Sharing clean energy technologies with India, Bush insisted, “will help reduce stress on global oil markets and move our world toward cleaner and more efficient uses of energy.”

Bush was even more forthright on business process outsourcing that has led to protests from trade unions and Democratic opposition in Washington. “It’s true that a number of Americans have lost jobs because of companies that have shifted operations to India,” Bush said. “Losing a job is traumatic. It’s difficult. It puts a strain on our families.” Opposing protectionism as a response, Bush said outsourcing improves the competitiveness of American industry by reducing costs and creating new jobs in the US.

He also pointed to the fact that growing prosperity in India will produce more opportunities to export American goods to India. But Bush also insisted India cannot hope to have a “one-way free trade” and that it should do more to lift caps on foreign investment and open its borders to US farm and industrial products.