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South Asian security ; US, India harmonise regional role

	March 21, 2005

After harmonising positions on Nepal, the US is keen to work with India on Bangladesh where both countries see a “general deterioration” in security and rise of fundamentalist elements.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice conveyed Washington’s concern about Bangladesh during talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a senior US embassy official said.

“There was an expression of interest of working together in Bangladesh,” the official said. Asked about US concerns about Bangladesh, the official spoke about the “general deterioration in security” in that country.

“This is another area where we think the stability-level of the region has deteriorated,” he said.

The official was referring to the spiralling violence and the growing assertiveness by fundamentalist groups in that country and the way Dhaka has reacted to these concerns in the international community.

Eminent security and defence analyst K. Subrahmanyam said the US interest in Bangladesh is a “good thing” for India and noted that New Delhi has been complaining that Dhaka had been allowing various militant groups to operate against India from its territory.

“If the Americans are interested in putting pressure on the Bangladesh government in a bid to discourage terrorism and fundamentalism in that country that is a move we should support,” Subrahmanyam said.

He noted that there had also been independent reports that Al Qaeda terrorists had become active in Bangladesh.

Ajay Sahni, Director, Institute of Conflict Management, an independent Delhi-based think tank, said the US interest in Bangladesh amounted to recognition that there is a problem in that country, which it had not till last year.

He said US Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism Koffer Black, during his visit last year and talks with him and other terrorism experts on “Patterns of Global Terrorism,” did not agree with India’s assessment of growing fundamentalism and terrorism in Bangladesh.

“They have now come closer to accepting the Indian position,” he said and described the situation in Bangladesh as “very, very problematic.”

While it would not be correct to compare it to Pakistan or Afghanistan during the Taliban regime, certain political parties and groups, including those in the ruling coalition, have been encouraging Islamist fundamentalism and militancy, he said.

The US proposal comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations have been going through a rough patch over New Delhi’s charge that Dhaka has allowed several Indian insurgent groups to set up bases in its territory to launch anti-India activities.

New Delhi had cited the security situation in Bangladesh as one of the reasons to keep away from the scheduled SAARC summit in Dhaka in early February.

Bangladesh denies the charge that it is harbouring Indian insurgent groups and says it is India that gives refuge to fugitives from the country.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, in a speech in parliament, said that allegations of Bangladesh harbouring extremists and Al Qaeda terrorists were nothing but a conspiracy against her government.

She criticised the observations of some foreigners - foreign diplomats and members of donor agencies - on the situation in Bangladesh and said: “Stop interfering in the internal affairs of our country.”

Rice, in her press interaction in India, spoke glowingly about the “outstanding cooperation” between the US and India to meet the “challenge to democracy in Nepal” and referred to how the Ambassadors of the two countries in Kathmandu have been trying to get the kingdom back to multiparty democracy.

“I think it shows that India and the US have regional responsibilities, also increasingly global responsibilities,” she said.



US keen on nuclear energy, joint defence production

The United States has indicated its willingness to help India with nuclear energy and joint defence production as part of a move to raise bilateral ties to a strategic level, a senior US embassy official said.

This was the thrust of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, the official said on condition of anonymity.

He said the two sides had identified three major areas to move forward - a strategic dialogue that will include India’s defence requirements, coordination on regional security problems, like the cooperation during the recent tsunami tragedy and the diplomatic offensive to force King Gyanendra of Nepal to restore multiparty democracy and an enhanced business dialogue.

The official said there was an “expression of interest” by Rice of the US working with India in Bangladesh where, according to both New Delhi’s and Washington’s assessment, the general security had deteriorated to an extent that it could affect regional stability.

He was referring to the growing violence in that country and the role of the fundamentalist forces in it.

The official emphasised the importance of Rice’s visit to India “even before she could put together her own staff “ after assuming the office.

“Nevertheless she came here because the President wanted her to come here and explain clearly the great importance the President attached to this relationship,” he said and described the visit as a “landmark” and “very important”.

“She explained to her interlocutors not only her personal commitment but also the judgement the President had made even before the first election that the US develop a strong relationship with India. She made it very specific.”

Speaking about the proposed strategic dialogue, the official said this would be different from the ongoing Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) as the latter is too narrow in its scope.

“This (strategic dialogue) is a broad concept and will cover everything from problems of global security where we both share concerns, even if they are not identical, but at least we are in broad agreement in areas that are very significant and are of common interest,” he said.

The planned defence cooperation would not only include “supply of weapons but opportunities for high-technology cooperation, strategic trade and trade facilitation”, he added.

The cooperation would include such things like manufacturing licences and co-production in defence equipment.

“These are general ideas but what I think we have to take note is that they are very specific and forward looking agenda to be worked out between now and the Prime Minister’s visit.”

Rice had extended an invitation on behalf of Bush to Manmohan Singh to visit the US and the official said the visit was expected in the middle of this year. He said in the broad energy dialogue that Rice proposed, the US would look at “all of India’s energy needs including civilian nuclear power.”



India may buy US defence equipment

India might buy US military hardware following an assurance by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that Washington would be a “reliable partner”, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has said.

“There is no doubt that the US is the manufacturer of the world’s most modern and sophisticated weapons. The problem was the predictability, reliability aspect. Dr. Rice has assured us that the US wants to be a reliable partner,” Saran said.

He was referring to continuing concern in India about sourcing military hardware from the US as American legislation often bars supply of spare parts.

Saran was speaking on “Indo-US Relations: An Overview” at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) a day after the landmark visit of Rice.

Speaking about the great potential for much stronger defence cooperation between the two countries, he said India was one of the few countries in the world that has a huge defence market.

Saran said India was moving towards privatising its defence production and this would provide an opportunity to Indian and US defence firms to forge stronger cooperation.

He described Rice’s trip as an “unprecedented, landmark visit at the most opportune time” in bilateral relations.

Rice’s talks with Indian leaders and officials centred on cooperation in the energy and defence sectors, Saran noted.

He said India was looking for its strategic space as an autonomous economic power in the world and this objective did not clash with US foreign policy objectives.

They could also work in the security sphere, he said, noting that they had coordinated relief operations in the aftermath of the Dec 26 tsunami in South and Southeast Asia.

“The US was surprised at the capability of Indian Navy and Air Force to deal with disasters of such a scale,” Saran said.