New Delhi, July 13
Despite Washington’s strident opposition to the G-4 Framework Resolution on United Nations Security Council expansion, positive signals are emanating from the United States which hosts Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this weekend.

The million dollar question is: whether Washington will announce support for the Indian candidature for the UNSC permanent membership during Dr Manmohan Singh’s US visit? Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran today said the US view on the G-4 resolution was known for “quite some time” but he could not hazard a guess on the US supporting India on the issue as it was “a political decision”.

Though there is no expectancy in diplomatic circles here on whether President George Bush would announce support for India with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh standing by his side in the White House, the diplomatic symbolism from Washington suggests it might happen. Dr Manmohan Singh’s bilateral visit has been categorised as a “State Visit” — complete with a ceremonial welcome and stay in Blair House, which in Indian context is like staying at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Americans are not known for hosting too many foreign dignitaries on state visits, particularly from the developing world.

Washington’s announcement of support to India, besides Japan, for a place on the UNSC high table, can be the best way for the Bush administration to live up to its oft-repeated promise of helping India make a major world power.

Two concrete deliverables are going to happen in Indo-US relations during the Prime Minister’s visit: launching of Phase II of Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) and holding of the inaugural meeting of the Indo-US CEOs’ Forum.

The NSSP, announced by the two countries in January 2004, focussed on four areas of bilateral cooperation: civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programme, high technology trade and missile defence. The Phase II of NSSP, to be announced during the Prime Minister’s visit, is likely to give a final burial to the era of sanctions in areas of sensitive technology and dual use. It is likely that Washington would come up with important announcements which would pave the way for India getting access to a nuclear reactor, which in diplomatic terms would bring India at par with China.

Mr Saran went on record today to say that it was a “new relationship” that was unfolding between the world’s two important democracies “which is going to be a partnership”. He stressed that it was going to be a “genuine partnership” in each and every segment — whether it is energy, business, economy, defence, science and technology, space or agriculture — and “India too is bringing something to the table” in each of these segments.

Asked by this correspondent on what would constitute the centre-piece of the Prime Minister’s US visit — UNSC, NSSP, nuclear energy or something else — Mr Saran said at his briefing today that that the Prime Minister had a broad agenda and the visit could not be narrowed down to one issue or the other.

However, he was very categoric that terrorism would be “very high” on the agenda. He said recent terror incidents like the ones in Ayodhya and London demonstrated the world could no longer afford to have segmentation while dealing with terrorism.

In response to a question on the Indo-Pak peace process, the Foreign Secretary said India was convinced that the peace process could help resolve problems between India and Pakistan, though he added that it could be taken forward only if there is public opinion and support behind it. In this context, he remarked that the public opinion will be undermined if incidents like Ayodhya continue to happen.