Why the Rise of India Is a Problem for the US

[unhappycamper]

http://watchingamerica.com/WA/2014/10/08/why-the-rise-of-india-is-a-problem-for-the-us/

Why the Rise of India Is a Problem for the US
Published in Huanqiu (China) on 29 September 2014 by Long Xingchun [link to original]
Translated from Chinese by Nathan Hsu. Edited by Bora Mici.
Posted on October 8, 2014.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the U.S. on Oct. 29 in a trip widely interpreted as an effort to repair Indian-U.S. relations, which have largely suffered over the past two years. Although India has not affirmed its support for an "Asian NATO" or the U.S. "pivot to Asia" strategy, many analysts in the U.S. believe that regardless of whether India is subjectively willing to join hands with the U.S. in checking China, a strong India would objectively be capable of acting as a restraint against China within Asia.

After Modi's election, the U.S. immediately cancelled a ban against his entering its territory, which had been imposed nearly 10 years ago. Obama also extended an immediate invitation to the new prime minister, demonstrating the significance of relations with India to the United States, as well as its relationship with Modi himself. But this was not to say that the differences between the two nations had been resolved, nor did it indicate that the U.S. was truly willing to allow the emergence of a powerful India.

The growth of the Indian economy has presented an enormous challenge to the United States. Like many other developed countries, the U.S. has moved a large portion of its manufacturing abroad. The service sector is now the pillar of its economy, accounting for over 60 percent of its gross domestic product. Although India is a developing country, over half of its GDP is derived from the service sector, and receiving outsourced service jobs from more developed countries has turned the field into India's fastest-growing industry. U.S. workers' unions and some members of Congress have complained of India taking service-sector job opportunities from Americans.

Recently, U.S. think tanks have been issuing estimates that India will eventually overtake China, and that the Chinese economy will surpass that of the U.S. in the near future. If these predictions prove valid, then the question will not be how well the U.S. can play second fiddle but rather, whether or not its seat in third place will remain secure.