THANKS, W:

Alliance with India in U.S. interest (STEVE HUNTLEY, Mar 11, 2011, Chicago Sun-Times)

Fortunately there’s a natural ally for America in countering the Pakistani and Chinese challenges. It’s India, the world’s most populous democracy. To their credit, Presidents Obama and George W. Bush have cultivated ties with India.

The interests of America and India coincide. India, like America, has been the victim of devastating terrorist attacks. Metastasizing radical Islamism, with the potential to turn Pakistan into a failed state with nuclear weapons, is a vital national security issue for Washington and New Delhi. A U.S. decision to aid India with, for example, missile-defense technology would be a powerful message to Pakistan.

China and India fought a war in 1962, and today their emerging economic rivalry matches their growing military arsenals. Japan, South Korea and other neighbors of China also have been alarmed by China’s military buildup and have sought to bolster their own defenses. India constitutes the logical hub for a new American alliance with Asian and Pacific nations to balance Beijing’s growing military clout and to maintain stability in the region.

Washington can’t anticipate every foreign upheaval, but closer ties with India could prepare for what may be gathering storms on the other side of the world.