Editorial

Delhi-Washington, Delhi-Patna-Kolkata: The Congress Flights of 'Strategic Partnership'

Manmohan Singh's recent weeklong visit to France and the US once again underscored the growing militarisation and Americanisation of India's foreign policy. India already has a strategic partnership with France , and Singh's visit to France sought to expand the ties with greater purchases of weaponry from France . The joint statement issued by President Chirac and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Paris on September 12 talked about 'finalizing a framework agreement on defence cooperation at an early date'. It also highlighted India 's decision to purchase Scorpène submarines from France as the latest illustration of the growing defence relationship between the two countries. India has already emerged as one of the biggest arms purchasers in the world and the shopping spree continues to escalate with every foreign visit undertaken by the Indian PM.

Apart from attending the sixtieth summit of the United Nations, Manmohan Singh used his stay in the US to have another audience with President Bush. A meeting with the Pakistan President also followed, but it reflected little more than the routine resolve to 'stay engaged'. By contrast, the Bush-Manmohan encounter quite clearly transgressed the formal limits of diplomatic propriety to intrude into the domestic domain where the Indo-US nuclear deal has already evoked considerable public scrutiny and criticism. By talking about domestic opposition, Singh clearly tried to garner greater sympathy from the White House for a loyal junior ally who is prepared to defy every opposition at home to fulfil commitments made to the 'senior strategic partner'.

The overriding urge to appease the Americans has also made New Delhi echo Washington's 'concern' (and endorse the threats) regarding Teheran's nuclear programme. The UPA government claims to be serious about pursuing the project of procuring natural gas through a pipeline from Iran ; but when Iran is threatened and bullied by the US , instead of opposing America 's move to extend its Iraq war to Iran , India chooses to join the US-led campaign to corner and coerce Iran ! With such worshipful attitude to the US , Manmohan Singh's address to the sixtieth summit of the United Nations could only be another exercise in timidity and Singh did precisely that. The address failed to mention the greatest threat to an effective UN – US unilateralism. It also remained conspicuously silent about the continuing US-led occupation and destruction of Iraq . So much for New Delhi 's concern for democratization of the UN and for making it reflect the global reality of 2005 and not 1945!

What emboldens the Congress to pursue such a blatantly pro-US policy is its 'strategic partnership' at home with its loyal Left allies. While the CPI(M) Polit Bureau made laboured attempts to put up a critical posture for public consumption, Jyoti Basu gave away the truth by issuing a 'generally alright' certificate to the UPA government's pro-US foreign policy. On the economic front too, the CPI(M) critique of the Congress' neo-liberal policy thrust sounds increasingly hollow and hypocritical with Buddhadev's desperate campaign to sell 'destination' West Bengal , including its agrarian economy, to every available purchaser. The Congress-CPI(M) strategic partnership has now attained so much maturity and confidence that the CPI(M) finds it most natural to invite Manmohan Singh to grace anniversary celebrations of its party journals and Singh reciprocates by advising all Indian chief ministers to emulate the reformist role model from West Bengal . The CPI(M)'s decision to stick with the Congress-RJD combine in the ensuing Bihar elections is very much a part of this strategic package.

The Congress game plan of cushioning and reinforcing its rule with the help of its twin partnerships at home and abroad is not difficult to understand. But the fond calculations of the rulers often go awry in the face of the anger and action of the people. The memories of how the BJP's best-laid plans for a re-run of the Atal-Advani show in Delhi were laid to rest by the Indian electorate should still be fresh. The forthcoming September 29 strike action by the working class and the outcome of the ensuing Bihar elections should deliver sufficiently powerful blows to the Congress and its strategic partners, both at home and abroad.