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Feb 13, 2014

Nancy Powell discussed Indo-US ties with Narendra Modi

Despite the miffed Congress,US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell met Bharatiya Janata Party Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi and discussed at length the future prospects
of Indo-US ties and his vision for key policy matters .
Nancy Powell meeting with Narendra Modi,the probable prime minister of India ,is within the framework of US foreign and strategic policy to know whether Modi fits in the  American efforts  to shape the region as the NDA is likely to emerge as the winner in the 2014 Lok sabha elections.
US wants to know his vision for the country ,his thinking towards economic policies  and the most important the security matters with regard to terror groups operating in Pakistan.
The meeting is also influenced by the lobbying efforts of some pro-Modi group and business community in the US.
The  hour long discussions  focussed on the importance of the US-India relationship, regional security issues, human rights, and American trade and investment in India, the statement said.
Powell "has shared and listened to views on the US-India relationship" and she "continues to emphasize that the partnership is important and strategic, and that the United States looks forward to working closely with the government that the Indian people choose in the upcoming elections", the statement added.

Well,Washington also made it clear that it was not taking any position on the coming Lok Sabha elections as it didi not intend to meddle in the internal affairs of India  but keeping in view the South Asia regional security situation as US troops are set to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014 .

US wants to know  Modi's foreign policy and his views relating to India's neighbourhood  and especially  on the matters of security as he is the possible prime minister of India. It is worth to mention that US business prospects in India  assumes much significance  in the form of FDI .

"We are often engaged in concentrated outreach to senior political and business leaders. We began doing that months ago, if not years ago in different scales, of course to highlight and continue our US-India relationship. There have been no changes in our policy per se. This is an effort in that engagement," Psaki said.


The US has been playing down the visit citing  it as a  part of increased engagement with Indian leaders and indicated that President Barack Obama's view might not have been taken  to end the BJP leader's boycott.

Modi is likely to focus on strengthening business ties, especially through the flagship event of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit 2015.


Western nations have shunned Modi for the last nine years since the US revoked his visa in 2005  but Britain and the EU business lobby had reached out to him in 2013 .The same year, US delegation that included three  Republican lawmakers  met Modi  in Ahmedabad .

It's been a policy of United States  to engage with the respective government of its allies and their top opposition leaders .


Obama with his foreign policy "pivot" toward Asia is hoping to shift US government attention away from trouble spots like Afghanistan and Iraq and toward a region brimming with economic opportunities. It aimed to strengthen long-standing alliances in Asia and bring new resolve to managing the relationship with China.

 Strategically,Specific US national interests in Southeast Asia include the preservation of major sea lanes of communication through the South China Sea


For instance after Arab revolution, US engaged  with former Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi,   president of Yemen Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi before replacing  Saleh to stabilze the  countries  and recently in talks with Syria  to stop the violence and  for the elimination of chemical weapons.


Putting an end to speculation about the meeting leading to the US lifting a nine-year long visa ban on Modi in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat riots,US  insisted  that there was no change in its visa policy and that Modi is free to apply for a visa as per procedure.
The meeting of Modi and Nancy in Gandhinagar  is seen as a shift in US policy ,whose visa was cancelled in 2005 under a domestic law on the issue of “severe violations of religious freedom” and had refused to review its policy.
While it has been confirmed  by an official in the Chief Minister’s Office in Gandhinagar that the  visa controversy “is not likely to be discussed by the CM just at the time of ice-breaking”.
As a matter of fact,Modi's visa issue will be resolved and the position of US will open up after the 2014 Lok sabha election results.

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