The Obamas in India

The President’s visit to India has received an unbelievable amount of media attention here. The Indian press is treating the President’s visit sort of like how CNN and Fox cover animals in distress.

Not surprisingly, the President and First Lady have charmed the nation but the one issue that is understandably a sticking point for many Indians is our support of the Pakistani government.

After three wars and countless border disputes, most Indians cannot imagine Pakistan as anything but their enemy. The terrorist attack in Mumbai two years ago is still a fresh wound for many Indians that generates the same kind of emotions Americans feel when they speak of 9/11.

The President is trying to walk a very fine line as he explains America’s stance towards Pakistan. When asked directly by an Indian college student why he hasn’t condemned Pakistan as a terrorist state, his answer was thoughtful and, in my opinion, on mark.

His point was this. One has to look at Pakistan with nuance. While there is extremism in the country which is festering like a cancer, the Pakistani government has awakened to that danger and is taking steps to address it. We can’t ignore the fact that no country has suffered as much from terrorist attacks as Pakistan. Furthermore, he acknowledged that progress has not been as quick as one might hope, but cooperation with the Pakistani government is in both the U.S. and India’s best interest.

That is a tough pill to swallow for many Indians who firmly believe the Pakistani government supports and sponsors terrorist elements. Of course, history would suggest their assertion carries merit, but a strong Pakistani government that can, and is willing to, weed out extremism is integral to peace in the region.

Indians have been vocal in their response to the President’s remarks on terrorism and Pakistan and I thought it might be interesting for Americans to see some of the letters that have run in The Hindu, one of India’s leading papers.

From The Hindu:

Mr. Obama seems more interested in creating jobs for his countrymen. Time and again, he has avoided calling Pakistan a terrorist country, a fact which is known to the whole world. It is time India stopped looking at the U.S. for support in resolving the Kashmir issue.

M.C. Vijai Shanker,
Chennai

Some sections of the media have rushed to judge Mr. Obama's speech on his arrival on the basis of what he left unsaid. That he visited the Taj Mahal Hotel — a target of the terror attack on 26/11 — is a profound statement on the U.S.' stand on terrorism. We need to be patient and more charitable in our judgment.

Jacob George,
Changanacherry

President Obama's remark that Mumbai is a symbol of the incredible energy and optimism that defines India is indeed a great tribute to the people of the city. Mr. Obama's diplomacy, of not naming Pakistan (itself a victim of many terror strikes), for the 26/11 attack in his address at the Taj Mahal hotel is commendable. India certainly doesn't want any third party to interfere in its affairs with Pakistan or any other nation.

S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet

Mr. Obama need not condemn Pakistan directly for its involvement in the 26/11 attack. It is for us to bring pressure on the U.S. to stop Pakistan from using its funds to encourage cross-border terror. The lip sympathy extended by Mr. Obama to India on terrorism will remain a mere formality if we fail to get an assurance from him that Pakistan will be reined in.

V.S. Ganeshan,
Bangalore

Bangalore and Buffalo

I have always found it pretty funny how easily you can get a rise out of folks in the U.S. if you bring up outsourcing and Indian accents on the end of customer support lines (Mom). But to my surprise, you get the same kind of excited responses when you bring up the subject here.

Few Bangaloreans are aware President Obama is winding down the war in Iraq or that he passed healthcare reform, but they all are well aware of his position on reforming American corporate tax structure.

You might recall the line, “our current corporate tax system encourages paying lower taxes if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, New York.'' It’s catchy but it has created a firestorm in India.

The President is making an official visit to Delhi on November 5 and as far as Bangalore is concerned the only state issue worth addressing is his stance on outsourcing. This is a position reflected by taxi drivers, waiters, corporate stiffs and seemingly every newspaper.

I suppose this isn’t that surprising considering outsourcing has become almost as synonymous with India as yoga. In fact, outsourcing has provided much, if not the majority, of the fuel for Bangalore’s meteoric rise over the past decade.

IT firms and call centers seem to be on every block and a trip to the outskirts of the city puts the industry’s contribution in perspective. What were once village farms five years ago are now massive IT parks that are the shiny, new homes of tens of thousands of Indian workers.

This outsourcing fiasco – and yes, I am going to call it that – is a wonderful example of the power of words. I’m a card carrying member of the Obama cult but prez you should have known better.

Considering U.S. aims in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and global issues high on the President’s agenda -- such as climate change, the relationship between the U.S. and India has never been more important. The Buffalo/ Bangalore comment should have never happened.

I find it rather depressing that hours of the President’s visit are going to be spent discussing Dell call centers when Muslim extremism in Pakistan, the Kashmir issue and U.S. India cooperation on renewable energy development await well-deserved attention.