Missed opportunities and contradictory policies: Indo-American relations in the Clinton-Rao years

Indo-American relations, freed from their historic shibboleths, were expected to flourish after the winding down of the cold war and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Despite some evidence of improvement in the military and economic spheres, better ties have not materialized in the 1990s. This article examines the reasons why the American-Indian relationship failed to improve during the period in which the Clinton and Rao administrations overlapped. It finds that both sides mishandled relations. The contradictory policies of the Clinton administration which simultaneously pressured India to liberalize its economy while criticizing New Delhi on human rights and nuclear issues undermined the very officials who strove to improve ties. In the face of criticism from Washington and opposition at home, Indian diplomats lost their enthusiasm for rapprochement and unwisely emphasized protocol over substantive diplomacy. The controversy that surrounded the passage of the Brown Amendment which restored aid to Pakistan in 1995 despite Islamabad's violation of the 1985 Pressler Amendment is a case study of the delicate nature of the Indo-American relationship. In resurrecting cold war rhetoric, Indian parliamentarians and American congressmen demonstrated their unwillingness to establish a ne iv relationship. The U.S. Congress characteristically abrogated its responsibilities and deferred to the executive branch on an issue considered marginal to American interests.