"India. The name evokes the striking beauty of the Taj Mahal and the abject poverty of the Calcutta slums. One may conjure an image of a land filled with elephants, tigers and pipers charming cobras, or recall the plot of a Kipling story. Increasingly, average Americans associate India with the outsourcing of service sector jobs. However, in national security circles, thoughts of India more and more focus on a rising world power. And more importantly, whether or not India's rise is a threat to U.S. interests in South Asia and beyond. In November 2001, President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee committed the two nations to a strategic partnership. This was a vital continuation of the momentum started by President Bill Clinton's visit to India in March 2000, the year before he left office. His visit was called a "turning point in India-US relations." This is because for most of India's post-independence history, the world's two largest democracies have been at odds with each other. Many wonder if the current rapprochement is real and if the two nations can find mutually agreeable areas of cooperation, or will continue to compete."--Abstract from web site.
