Obama speech in Indian Parliament is a welcome change

US President Barack Obama’s rousing speech in Parliament on Monday, though filled with pronunciation gaffes, should go down as one of his landmark speeches. It was strong, spoke to India as a partner and an equal, but also had some strong words of advice for a nation that is now getting its due on the world stage.

India must listen to the wise words of President Obama not because he is supposedly the second most powerful person in the world, but because it laid out a clear path for India’s policy making and the objectives it is supposed to achieve. His strong rebuke of India’s hesitance to remark on human rights abuses anywhere in the world saying it is that particular internal issue should be heeded. India cannot call itself a champion of democracy when it does not condemn the murder of democracy in other countries.

Obama also made some strong statement on India’s inclusion in the United Nations Security Council as a permanent member and indeed on the issue of bringing the perpetrators of 26/ 11 to justice. These are not tall words that mean little.

These words were an assertion of India’s growing influence on the world state and the American President’s acceptance of the same. India cannot remain isolated in a South Asian or an Asian environment when the rest of the world, especially China, takes great strides forward on various issues.

By dehyphenating India and Pakistan, the US has told the world that it should not judge India with its relationship with its troublesome western neighbour.

That alone is a big step forward.