Tillerson’s India visit promises a lot; but there’s need for caution

New Delhi, Oct 23: At a time when the US tries to woo India, there is a strong feeling in foreign policy engine room and among experts that the clear preference shown to New Delhi vis-a-vis other Asian powers should be adequately used in order to contain China. Besides geo-strategic importance with regard China, the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit would also underline yet again Washington's preference of New Delhi for a greater Indian role in Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's visit to India on October 24 - coinciding with Mr Tillerson's visit must be seen from that context. The Trump administration wants India to emerge as a key player in its Afghan strategy – something underlined by US Defence Secretary James Mattis as well. India has, however, made it clear that while it will boost the socio-economic conditions of the Afghan people and push developmental projects, it will not commit troops. The latest American gestures as were reflected in eloquent speech of the US Secretary of State Tillerson at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington could also leave a “considerable impact” on the balance of power in the South China Sea. Experts and others believe that the US has close economic relationship with China and this can be used for diplomatic dividends for India as Americans would also be keen to use India against Beijing. But there is a cautious line too as a school of thought pursues that while US has been inching closer to India, it would always safe guard and promote its own (American) interests. The US has set eyes on multiple goals while trying to calibrate its long term strategic ties with India. It wants to boost defence ties to challenge China’s rising military profile and also promote its own arms exports, sources said. Officials point out that the US is also keen for an updated regional security architecture working closely with Japan, India and also Australia. Both India and Japan also endorse this as during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Gandhinagar in September, Mr Abe and PM Narendra Modi “affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected". This was seen as a veiled reference to China's alleged expansionist role in South China Sea. UNI