India should work more closely with the members of the US Congress in order to strengthen the strategic relationship between the two largest democracies in the world.
India should work more closely with the members of the US Congress in order to strengthen the strategic relationship between the two largest democracies in the world. This was the suggestion made by US President Barack Obama’s former chief campaign manager Pete Dagher at an interaction at Observer Research Foundation on November1, 2010.
Initiating a discussion on “US-India Strategic Relations: How India can strengthen its position”, Mr. Dagher suggested that that India should also use its strong and powerful Diaspora to fulfill its interests just like the Chinese have done. He said that there is an urgent need for India to make itself heard.
Mr. Dagher denied the likelihood of the US President making any bold statement against Pakistan or China during his visit here. The discussion was chaired by ORF Distinguished Fellow, Mr. H.H.S. Viswanathan.
While giving a brief introduction of the presidential politics in United States, Mr. Dagher explained how easy it is to influence the decisions in Federal Government in United States by getting involved in the presidential politics.
Giving a personal example, Mr. Dagher said he was very closely associated with Mr. Bill Clinton’s election campaign and later on was inducted into various committees of the Bill Clinton Administration. He said that Presidential Elections in the United States are very reactive and not proactive. He also told that the 2012 election campaign will start in four months in Chicago.
While pointing out the requirement of a long-term relationship between India and United States, Mr. Dagher said that the US President should make routine visits to India. India, according to him, is the future. He emphasized that it is important for US to engage more closely with the world’s largest democracy and a country which is so energetic and dynamic. He said that a generational long-term relationship is required between India and United States.
While talking about the slowing down of the US economy due to the global economic recession, Mr. Pete Dagher said that the jobs are the biggest issue in the United States right now and the national debt of the United States is persistently rising. In this regard, he said that the Indian media, Indian business community and the diplomatic core can change the perception of job exports to India.
Mr. Viswanathan pointed out US- India relationship cannot be based on how the Indian Diaspora in US perceives problems as there may be divergence among the interests of India and Indian Diaspora in the US.
Besides the ORF faculty, experts, former ambassadors and members of the media took part in the interaction.
(Report prepared by Divya Sharma, Research Assistant, Observer Research Foundation)
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