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Obama’s visit may lead to better ties

Visits to India by presidents of the United States of America are few and far between (Raj Chengappa's column Ground Zero, "Yeh dosti hum nahi todengey", Nov 10). US President Barack Obama's visit can be considered a significant chapter in the Indian politics. But there is a difference between the rhetoric and ground realities for achieving different aspects covered during his visit.

India has a difficult neighbourhood. To secure its borders, it buys arms in large quantities from the US. The latter also provides arms to Pakistan as assistance.

Arms trade comes in conflict with the UN objectives of disarmament, non-proliferation for international peace and security. In its backdrop, two-thirds majority in favour of India of the UN members will be a daunting task. India needs to ponder on its strategy diplomatically and lobby hard to gain a permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

Unfriendly relations with Pakistan and China do not help either. Whereas relations with China can be improved, the US needs to restrain Pakistan for cross-border terrorism.

It remains to be seen how bilateral pacts in health, education, agriculture and energy take shape in future. Achieving all these would entail establishing an everlasting friendship between the world's two great democracies.

Dr SANJIV GUPTA, Perth, Australia

KHAZAN SINGH, Kapurthala

Punjab politics

Kuldip Nayar in his article "Profligacy of Punjabis" (Nov 9) has rightly analysed the behaviour in Punjab. It is unfortunate for Punjab that politics has stagnated the overall development of Punjab. With the exit of Manpreet Singh Badal, the economy in Punjab is going to get worse.

I fail to understand why our leaders don't understand the language of logic. Our approach of long-term strategies is not based on scientific methods. It would have been much better if the subsidy could have been passed on to the small farmers who really need it. The revenue generated from the rich farmers could be used for various projects of development in Punjab.

Also we have to keep religion separate from politics and concentrate more on providing education, health facilities and job opportunities by putting up more industries instead of wasting money on freebies.

HARISH K. MONGA, Pune

Dragon may strike Having coined the "Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai" slogan during the then Chinese premier visit to India in 1954, China backstabbed India with its clandestine military aggression in NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh) in October 1962 and dumped Nehru's Panchsheel policy. India suffered utter humiliation. China has been frequently needling and bullying India by positioning military troops in PoK, declaring J&K as a disputed territory and vehemently laying its claim to Arunachal Pradesh . Over the years, China has built rail and road infrastructure along the Himalayan region for a rapid movement of troops and equipment of military operations. Maoism has spread its tentacles deep into various Indian states with covert support from China which poses a grave threat to India's internal security. China believes in the military doctrine that "power flows from the barrel of the gun". The Chinese dragon has raised its hood and spread its fangs. Dragon strike is imminent. Its claim to Arnuachal Pradesh can be the flash point for the war. It is time the Indian leadership took concerted and concrete action to thwart the strike. Remember there is no trophy for a runner-up in a war. India must avoid the repetition of the 1962 debacle. Wing-Cdr GURMAIlL SINGH (retd), Chandigarh