I found this op-ed interesting in that, it shows what could be the expectations of the South Asian community in the U.S. and the U.S. policy towards South Asia. We are told that some Indian-Americans are unhappy of the way the media is describing Kamala Harris as the first South Asian to run for the office of VP. They want her her to be known as the first person of Indian heritage to hold the office. However, the Pakistani community in the US, fears that she would push the Biden administration towards a more pro-India policy. That is why some Pakistanis were prepared to vote for Trump on this ground alone (I find this very funny but it’s understandable because people always vote by affinity).
So the author relates that, democratic administrations are widely seen in India and among Indian-Americans as being less friendly to India (especially on nuclear proliferation, and human rights etc.), than Republican ones. As an example, George W. Bush was beloved in India for moving the US closer to New Delhi., and Trump became a good friend of Modi. But in the past, the U.S. has always used India and Pakistan as pawns for its best interests, that is, the US alliance with Pakistan during the Cold War was to contain the Soviets, while today the US is moving close to India to bolster its position against China.
Now, given that Harris comes from south India whereas the tension between India and Pakistan is from the north, the author is suggesting that this may allow much more leverage and possibility of playing a strong positive role in forging a new paradigm. Harris could make use of both Indians and Pakistanis that are successful in government, business and in the media to forge an united front that will transcend over their rivalries. This “could be a great focal point to create a South Asian Renaissance which can contribute significantly to the US their new home.”
Marcus,
These are interesting thoughts. I think things also have changed in terms of both the US-India relationship and the US-Pakistan relationship. India is now much more acutely aware of the future threat posed by China, and therefore seems much more eager to move closer to the US (and other sympathetic countries in Asia). Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to be problematic in terms of Afghanistan (harboring the Taliban, etc.), and it has also been very close to China for many years. So the election of Kamala Harris may be the linchpin for a much deeper relationship. We shall see!
–Professor Wallerstein