Obama's India Visit Holds Promise for Strengthened US-India Ties
Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2010) - President Barack Obama’s trip to India this week was a significant step forward in deepening ties with Indian political and business leaders and should foster improved bilateral relations between the world’s oldest and largest pluralistic democracies, senior staff at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said today. For three days, President Obama, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, travelled to India’s financial capital, Mumbai, and the national capital, New Delhi, in what is his longest stay in a foreign country as President.
"Hindu Americans are pleased that President Obama visited the cradle of the ancient Hindu civilization, and is focused on bringing two natural allies even closer,” said Suhag Shukla, Esq., Managing Director and Legal Counsel of HAF. “Announcing several business initiatives, a hands-off policy over the Kashmir issue and a belated support for India’s candidacy as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council are perhaps the first tangible fruits of this visit.”
In a previous release, the Foundation bemoaned the fact that the president would not visit Sikhism’s holiest shrine nor a Hindu temple on this visit, though he was to visit a mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. After White House Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes later attributed the change of plans to time constraints, Foundation leaders were heartened to see footage of the president and First Lady boisterously celebrating the Hindu and Sikh festival of Diwali (Deepavali in the original Sanskrit) during the visit. Meanwhile, even as the President celebrated with India’s 900 million Hindus, a White House celebration, hosted by Vice President Joseph Biden, was held on November 9 and attended by the Foundation’s Senior Director, Sheetal Shah.
“After celebrating Diwali in Washington, D.C. and Mumbai now over two years, and following his support on the popular Indian position over conflicts in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, President Obama is connecting positively with the sentiments of many Hindu Americans vis a vis conflicts in India,” commented Sheetal Shah, Senior Director of HAF. “The president must now follow through on the commitments he made there and prevail upon Pakistan to end its policy of fomenting terror from Kashmir to Mumbai while continuing to champion pluralism and understanding here at home.”