Asia Society asks Obama to pursue deeper relations with India By Dharam Shourie

New York, Jan 16 (PTI) An organisation working to promote
ties between Asia and America has asked the incoming US
administration to draw up a bold new strategy to pursue deeper
collaboration with India on global challenges, including
security, economic growth, climate change and HIV/AIDS.

A new task force of the Asia Society outlines
"innovative" proposals to utilise both countries' strategic
strengths, particularly leveraging private sector engagement
to tackle complex global issues.

As the recent attacks in Mumbai made clear, there is an
urgent need for increased partnership between the world's two
largest democracies, said its report entitled 'Delivering on
the Promise: Advancing US Relations with India'.

The Task Force report makes "bold but practical"
recommendations across two parallel tracks.

While the first track focuses on strengthening
governmental relations, primarily through securing India's
leadership in multilateral institutions, expanding cooperation
on economic growth and security initiatives, and fostering
dialogue on the future of nonproliferation, the second
proposes joint public-private partnerships applied to the
global challenges.

Over the last decade, ties between the US and Indian
private sectors have grown rapidly, powering the relationship
with new momentum, the report said, adding that more recently,
shared values and a convergence of national interests have led
to new US-Indian collaboration at governmental levels.

"Last year's civilian nuclear agreement demonstrates our
countries' willingness to explore inventive avenues to address
global challenges," it said.

"This Task Force wants to harness the energy of our two
countries' private sectors in public-private partnerships
focused on the big problems governments cannot solve alone,"
said former Ambassador to India Frank G Wisner.

Wisner and Charles R Kaye, former chairman of the
US-India Business Council, are co-chairs of the Task Force.

On climate change, it favours harmonizing the scientific
R&D capabilities of India and America, saying the two nations
have an interest in a vibrant and reciprocal partnership that
addresses energy innovation.

Other recommendations included, improved linkages with US
institutions for secondary and higher education, which could
also lead to benefits for the US in mathematics and science.

It also recommends that the US encourage investment in
India's 'tractor to tiffin' infrastructure in agriculture to
help build markets and the necessary links between producers
and consumers, pulling subsistence farmers into a world of
scale, efficiency, and productive livelihood.

On HIV/AIDS, it asks the US and Indian governments to
engage via separate mechanisms and to to continually assess
and hone intervention opportunities.

"We are at a critical moment of positive upswing that the
new administration must work concertedly to maintain. This
Task Force believes that India matters to virtually every
major foreign policy challenge facing the United States in the
years ahead. Our work is just beginning," said Kaye. PTI DS
PMR