Obama’s Indian Odyssey

‘Should the West be scared?’

This question was posed on a BBC panel discussion earlier this week, in the light of President Obama’s recently concluded visit to India and Prime Minister Cameron’s trip to China. While this particular discussion was limited, it has been interesting to observe the somewhat dismissive coverage in the British media about the visit. Interesting, given the takeaways from the Cameron visit to India in July this year (see earlier blog).

Having personally been involved with a number of head of state visits to India over the last two decades, including President Clinton’s visit to India in March 2000, here is my take on the messages for business – both overt and covert – from President Obama’s game-changing and mesmerising visit to India.

1. Recognition of a new world order. During his trip, President Obama has peppered each of his speeches with unequivocal assertion to the fact that relationships have changed and that ‘we need to change with them’. His comment that the US-India partnership will be the ‘defining partnership of the 21st century’, his description of India as ‘indispensable’ and a ‘cornerstone’ of US policy in Asia and his wish to see India take up a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, speak volumes of the paradigm shift that has taken place in the mindset of the world’s largest economy. To quote President Obama, 'India isn't emerging, it has emerged'.
2. It’s (also) the economy, stupid. A country’s chief executive is responsible not only for a country’s physical security but also its economic security. A point that President Obama has not been allowed to forget for a single day since he embarked on his journey to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The result – consciously choosing to kick off his historic visit with India’s commercial capital – Mumbai – announcing business deals worth US$15 billion, supporting 70,000 jobs in the United States, by the close of the three days of his visit.
3. Knowledge is the new global currency, technology the game-changer, people the glue, youth the catalyst.
4. Protectionism doesn’t pay. Growth will come through trade with Asia. It is inevitable and not a zero-sum game. Global economic integration has promise and potential. We need to negotiate this changing relationship.

Or, as President Obama’s icon, Mahatma Gandhi, succinctly observed, ‘be the change you want to see in the world’.