Hillary Clinton’s India Visit: New Delhi Reminds Washington of Country's Interests in Region

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrapped up her three-day visit to India on May 8. Her trip came at a time when India and the United States are perceived to have taken somewhat different positions from each other on various issues. After two decades of increasing proximity, disagreements between the two countries over several key matters now seem to be slowing down the momentum of bilateral relations. Those who had hoped that Clinton’s visit would put the spark back in the ties will have been a bit disappointed as both parties have not done much, in addition to reiterating already-known positions.

During her stay, Clinton met key Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. and discussed a range of issues, including China, regional security and civil nuclear cooperation.

Pakistan’s Role in Eliminating Terror

The US secretary of state has pressed Pakistan to do more to ensure its territory is not used as "launching pad" by terror groups for attacks and also said that Hafiz Saeed was "one of the "principal architects" of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Hillary's comments came at a joint news conference after her talks with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna who spoke of the need for elimination of "terrorist sanctuaries" in the neighborhood.The two leaders nudged Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks and pledged to continue to work together in combating the menace.

In his remarks, Krishna said the recent terrorist attacks in Afghan capital – Kabul -- highlighted the need for elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in the neighborhood and for Pakistan to take steps against terrorism, including bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks. He also stressed the need for stronger action from Pakistan on terrorism, including on bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack.

In April 2012, the United States offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the conviction of Saeed, the founder of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Afghan Problem

The vision for Afghanistan was also discussed at the meeting. India stressed the need for sustained international commitment to build Afghan capacity for governance, security and economic development, and to support Afghanistan with assistance, investment and regional linkages.

To ask India to “do more” on the Iranian issue, therefore, is not fair on the part of the United States. The US secretary of state should understand that if the US has to do all it can to safeguard its geo-political interests in the Afghanistan-Pakistan area, India, too, has its interests in Kabul which cannot be properly taken care of if New Delhi loses the Iranian link.

US Investment in West Bengal

Clinton’s offer to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to invest in West Bengal is, however, a welcome development. The state will also gain immensely once the issues between India and Bangladesh are settled conclusively. An agreement between the two neighbors on the Teesta River water issue could have been signed by now had Banerjee not taken a stand different from New Delhi’s line of thinking. But, as External Affairs Minister SM Krishna told his Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni, in New Delhi, efforts are on to bring the West Bengal Chief Minister to the view that the country’s overall interests must be given precedence over the state’s interest.

Earlier, the West Bengal chief minister had scuttled the United Progressive Alliance’s plans to allow Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail, arguing that the move would destroy small businesses. The US secretary of state seems to have failed to force a change of heart in the feisty Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Issue of Oil Imports From Iran

The Damocles sword is still hanging on India. The United States gave no firm assurance to India that the proposed American sanctions will not apply to it for oil purchases from Iran even as New Delhi stated that the Iranian issue was not a source of discord between the two countries.

Continuing to resist American pressure over the matter, India also made it clear that it would abide only by UN Security Council sanctions against Iran and not those imposed by individual countries.

The US pressure on India regarding oil imports from Iran leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Does it not tantamount to interference in our internal affairs? As long as Manmohan Singh is the prime minister any directions of the United States in India's internal affairs and treaties like nuclear deal are cake walks.

In March 2012, the United States announced sanctions which threaten to shut out importers of Iranian oil from the US financial system unless they make significant and continuing cuts to their purchases by the end of June. Japan and 10 European Union nations have been granted exemption while India and China remain at risk.

In addition to its need for oil, there are two reasons why India must not take the US pressure lying down. India's only reliable land-route into Afghanistan and Central Asia runs through Iran. Moreover, the current US approach is likely to make the Iranian — and regional — security situation worse, not better. Saudi Arabia and Israel, which is already nuclear-armed, worry that a nuclear-capable Iran would tilt the regional balance and want the squeeze put on Iran. But too much financial or military pressure could backfire, goading the regime to commit to acquiring a strategic weapon — something it has not done until today.

India has demonstrated that it has come of age and stood its ground. Iran, despite its saber rattling, is a responsible power and we have a very useful conduit to their Leaders, which could be invaluable, when the World needs stability and growth. India must neither shut off Iran's oil imports nor Iran's access routes to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pakistan can make overtures to a new relationship, but India cannot afford to alienate the country that can provide a counter balance to the Taliban-Pakistan nexus.

India has been firm in its foreign policy right since independence, and rightly so; we are a country with one of the fastest growing economy. We have recently done an arm deal which is considered world's biggest. We have to manage our allies ourselves. The Indian external affairs minister’s decision to disagree with Clinton and reminding her of India's interests in the region.

Countering Terrorism in India: Major Political Parties Fail To Break Logjam Over Proposed NCTC

The one-day meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and the Chief Ministers, representing virtually all the major political parties, was held in New Delhi on May 5. The meeting that was organized on the setting up of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) remained inconclusive after steadfast opposition from chief ministers, including those from the Congress, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and those of regional parties.

The opposition to it in the present form leaves the federal government with no option but to go back to the drawing board to redraft the NCTC, probably give it a new name. It will have to prune some powers of the proposed body and, in all possibilities, remove it from the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

With chief ministers strongly opposed to the NCTC in its current form, the Home Ministry has no option but to remove the antiterror body outside IB and to have a mechanism for mandatory coordination between central agencies and state police forces.

Home Minister P Chidambaram made it abundantly clear that his ministry would work on removing the biggest hurdle in forming the anti-terror body in his concluding remarks at the chief ministers’ conference that were released officially on May 6.

Emerging Key Sticking Issues

Two key sticking issues emerged after the meeting. One that the anti-terror body should not be under the control of IB. Two, the counter-terror body - in whatever shape it is formed - should not carry out independent operations in states.

The NCTC, an anti-terror body proposed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on February 3, is not acceptable to chief ministers in its present form. 

The states which did not agree on the NCTC in its present form include a couple of Congress-ruled states, all BJP-ruled states and the states ruled by regional parties like the Akali Dal in Punjab, the National Conference (Jammu and Kashmir), the Trinamool Congress (West Bengal), the Biju Janata Dal (Odisha) and the AIADMK (Tamil Nadu). Many chief ministers questioned the logic of putting the NCTC under the IB.

Possible Options

One of the possible options is splitting the work of the NCTC-type body. A counter- terror body with central command could have access to IB databases on suspects, informers, friends of suspects and financiers for analysis. Operations could be handed over to the National Investigative Agency (NIA) formed after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Since the NIA was formed under an act of Parliament, Chief Ministers would have no objections to it.

The second contentious issue is of having only joint operations of central forces and state police forces. The chief ministers, even those of Congress and UPA allies-ruled states, made it clear that the NCTC type-body could not carry out independent operations -- arrests or detentions of suspects -- in states without prior information to the state DGP.

One of the options being studied is the possibility of forming small nodes of the NCTC type-body in states. These would have a dedicated unit of the state police force attached with the central agency team. As most state capitals already have a small central agency team, staffing the nodes would not be problem.

The joint team would be kept in the loop on all information and would simultaneously keep the state DGP informed. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was among those who suggested joint training of state and central forces at the meeting.

Instrument of Subversion

When Manmohan Singh says the NCTC is not meant for facilitating the federal government’s intrusion into the domain of the State Governments and Chidambaram seeks to allay the States’ apprehensions that this is yet another instrument of subversion of the Constitution, they do so in the hope of softening the tough stand taken by the chief ministers, especially of those States where the Congress is not in power. But the fact that their protestations have failed to move hearts and minds reaffirms, though not for the first time, what has been known for long now: Neither commands credibility.

There can be an endless debate on the need for an over-arching Central authority to deal with counter-terrorism across States. Those who argue in favor of the proposed NCTC have made points that cannot be entirely ignored. However, those opposed to the idea of erecting such a super-structure have raised issues that cannot be brushed aside. But much of the debate has been based on theoretical precepts that are borrowed from others’ experiences and are not necessarily rooted in the Indian reality. As Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi says, a robust, well-trained and well-equipped local police force is the best weapon to counter terrorism; after all, it is the local policeman who is, and shall remain, the first respondent. Second, to nibble away at the States’ constitutional rights, in this case maintenance of law and order, can never be acceptable, more so when the intentions of the federal government are questionable.

Pleas and Assurances

Undoubtedly, it is not a positive sign that despite the prime minister and the home minister’s impassioned pleas and assurances to dissenting states, the deadlock between the federal government and some states on the setting up of the NCTC could not be resolved. This should not, however, come as a surprise because the 10 dissenting states had made their stand clear beforehand. While most of the dissenters were non-UPA-ruled states and had a stake in keeping the pot boiling, the steadfast opposition of Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee and to a lesser degree Mulayam Singh Yadav and Omar Abdullah cannot but be deemed to be a blow to the Congress which spearheaded the move to set up the NCTC.

The scathing criticism of the federal government on the issue by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was along expected lines but while it was reassuring to the opposition, it was a reminder for the Congress that it was up against a wall.

However, the Manmohan Singh government, on its part, merely restated its earlier position and made no efforts to address the specific provisions which the dissenting states were objecting to. For instance, the argument that the NCTC would undermine the states’ police powers was denied by both the prime minister and the home minister but there was no indication that the Centre was prepared to clothe the state police with greater powers to deal with terrorists while building up the NCTC as an apex body to coordinate action.

Assessment

Clearly, some of states chief ministers do not sufficiently appreciate the sophisticated features of international terrorism which has targeted India for three decades; its reach, resources and swiftness of mobility of its deadly practitioners who flit across boundaries; the ultra-modern nature of communications and fighting equipment it employs; and the enormous funds at its disposal, not to mention ideological, political and occasionally ground-level support that becomes available to it. All of this was encapsulated in the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Railway Budget (2009-10)

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee presented the new Union Proggresive Alliance (UPA) Government’s first rail budget of for the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man) without tinkering with passenger fares or freight tariffs and instead focusing on passenger amenities. Like her predecessor, Lalu Prasad Yadav, she has presented a populist railway budget with no hike in fares or freight rates, but without Lalu's stress on efficient fiscal management and profitability. She begins with a slight fall in the railways income, which she attributes to exaggerated projections in the last budget.
In her second ‘avatar’ as Railway Minister she brought forward from her National Democratic Allaince (NDA) stint the concept of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, saying the budget will focus on “inclusive growth” and expansion of the rail network to “take development to every corner of the country”.

Slew of Measures
Announcing a slew of measures including launch of 12 nonstop long-distance trains as well as airconditioned double-decker coaches for intercity travel, Mamata also spelt out concessions for the unorganised sector under the 'Izzat' (dignity) scheme.
Lalu had earlier announced a two per cent cut in passenger fares in the interim budget, she proposed a monthly season ticket of Rs 25 for people with an income of up to Rs 1,500 per month for travel up to 100 km. Other proposals included introduction of 57 new train services, extension of 27 trains and increase in frequency of 13 trains.
The Minister also announced special sops for students in Kolkata, for whom concessional monthly season tickets will be also applicable for travel in the city’s metro. The concessions will also be extended to students of madrasahs (Muslim educational institutions). The budget says the Railways will set up a 1,000 MW power plant. It plans to take over ailing wagon-making units like Burn Standards, run under the Heavy Industry Ministry, just to save 1,000 jobs in West Bengal. Her home state also gets a new coach factory. Seven nursing colleges will be set up on railway land in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and other cities.
The Minister proposed an outlay of Rs 40,745 crore for 2009-10. Of this amount Rs 2,921 crore will be spent on new tracks, Rs 1,750 crore on gauge conversion and Rs 1,102 crore on passenger amenities, which is 119 percent over and above the funds allocated in the interim budget. Rs 424 crore will also be spent on amenities for railway staff--79 percent more than the interim budget.
Mamata also announced a new coach factory would be set up at the Kanchrapara-Halisahar railway complex in West Bengal with an annual capacity of 500 Electrical Multiple Units (EMUs), MEMUs and metro coaches in the joint venture private partnership mode.

Suburban EMU Trains
She also proposed introduction of ‘only ladies’ suburban EMU trains in Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata during office rush hours as well as airconditioned ‘yuva’ trains which, with lower fares, will serve young people and low-income groups. These will run from the major cities to the rural suburbs with fares ranging from Rs 299 up to 1,500 km to Rs 399 up to 2,500 km. Weekly services on a pilot basis will be introduced within three months between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata.
Timely track renewal, modernisation of signalling equipment and use of digital ultrasonic flaw detectors will be introduced for the safety of train passengers, besides an integrated security system that will be installed at 140 ‘vulnerable’ train stations. All-women Railway Protection Force (RPF) squads for female passengers will also be introduced.
The minister announced a dozen new point-to-point nonstop ‘Turonto’ (quick) trains and also proposed introduction of airconditioned double decker coaches for intercity travel.
FiftY ‘train stations will be developed as ‘world class’ stations with another 375 to come up as ‘adarsh’ stations with improved basic amenities. Multi-functional complexes with shopping facilities, food stalls and budget hotels are to be constructed at 50 stations that serve as gateways for tourist and pilgrimage centers or serve industrial clusters.
An ‘expert’ panel to suggest innovative financing and implementation of the new projects is being set up, she stated. The budget also announced the formation of a committee under Sam Pitroda, currently chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, to commercialise Indian Railways’ optic fibre network.
The budget stated that the priority would be given to bring about a perceptible improvement in cleanliness, quality of catering, safety and security and punctuality of all trains. To improve the cleanliness the Onboard Housekeeping Scheme (OBHS) will cover 200 additional trains. Doctors and infotainment services will be available on long distance trains.
The budget also proposed 1,000 new locations for passenger ticket reservation as well as expansion of unreserved ticketing system terminals from 5,000 to 8,000. Besides, automated ticket vending machines will be installed at 200 large and medium sized train stations. Computerised ticket reservation at post offices and mobile ticketing service vans were also being considered.
On extension of facilities for the physically disabled, there will be more ramps, elevators, escalators and special coaches for physically challenged and aged passengers.
In freight and parcel business, the premium services for container movement with assured transit times was being considered.
The Indian Railways would acquire 18,000 new wagons this fiscal against 11,000 in 2008-09. Private ownership of special purpose rolling stock for commodities and private operation of freight terminals will also be encouraged. Premium parcel services with guaranteed transit times will be introduced on a pilot basis on three routes initially. Reiterating her priority to extend railway services to farmers, Mamata announced introduction of special trains to ferry perishable farm products like fruits and vegetables as also village handicrafts and cottage industry and textile products from production clusters to consumers.

Highlights of Railway Budget
* 57 new trains, a dozen of them non-stop.
* Poor to get Rs 25 monthly tickets for 100 km travel.
* Rs 1,102 crore for better passenger amenities.
* One doctor on each long distance train.
* Tatkal booking time to be cut from five to two days.
* Yuva trains @ Rs 299 up to 1,500 km.
* 50 ‘world-class’ stations to be set up.
* Double-decker trains on select intercity routes.
* 60 per cent concession on tickets to all students.
* Concession for scribes raised to 50 per cent.
* SMS updates for waitlisted passengers.