SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: PRIME MINISTER SINGH'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002397

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SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: PRIME MINISTER SINGH'S
WASHINGTON VISIT

SUMMARY: Prime Minister Singh's Washington visit, while
generating mixed reviews, found a largely positive
though measured reception in the Indian press. Several
reports emphasized that, although there were no big
ticket announcements, the visit bode well for continued
meaningful engagement and a new direction to the U.S.-
India strategic partnership. Some analysts said the
visit dispelled fears over the perceived tilt of the
U.S. towards China. While President Obama was perceived
reassuring Prime Minister Singh of India's priority,
demands were made to "convert symbolism into
substance." Reports called on Prime Minister Singh to
leverage a more helpful position of the U.S. in the
region for dealing with India's two nuclear neighbors
and the fight against terrorism among other key issues.

Many reports, however, argued that, despite the hype
and glamour of the state dinner, the visit lacked
substance, and that the Obama administration was not
taking India seriously. Reports called a "let-down" the
two countries' perceived failure to reach agreement on
reprocessing nuclear fuel, further noting that the
bilateral relationship is "living on past credit rather
than current commitments." END SUMMARY.

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MATURING TIES AND THE WAY FORWARD
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1. "MATURING TIES," editorial in centrist, independent
English daily, THE TIMES OF INDIA: "The outlook for
Indo-US ties going forward is substantive, though it
might not be spectacular, and promises decent
dividends. It is in India's interests to push through
more market reforms and scale up its economic clout as
it seeks a solid equation with the US and a greater say
in global affairs. Upon his return, this should top
Singh's agenda."


2. "BETWEEN FRIENDS," editorial in English daily, THE
INDIAN EXPRESS: "Having won the necessary strategic
reassurance from the White House, it is now up to Delhi
to think more creatively about the India-US
relationship and develop some big ideas for Obama's
planned visit to Delhi next year."


3. "THE AMERICAN GRAFFITI READS...," editorial in
centrist, independent English daily, HINDUSTAN TIMES:
"Obama reassured Singh that India is a priority. Now to
convert symbolism into substance. The summit was a
success in sketching a roadmap for the future of the
relationship. The test will be to see how well the map
can be navigated in the real world."


4. "A GOOD VISIT, BUT DON'T OVER-HYPE IT," editorial in
independent English daily, DECCAN CHRONICLE: "Prime
Minister Singh's state visit to the United States
earlier this week has on the whole ended on a positive
note. A key objective of the trip was to gauge the
current climate in Washington regarding India's own
rise. The earlier George W. Bush administration was

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remarkable in that it gave India wide room in the
region, opened doors for it internationally through the
civil nuclear agreement in the face of stiff opposition
from nuclear hawks at home and sharp resentment in
China and Pakistan, and invested in a bilateral ties
across a broad range."


5. "CAPITOL IDEA," editorial in centrist English daily,
THE TELEGRAPH: "There was the lurking fear that the
bonhomie that existed between India and the US during
the presidency of George W. Bush would not endure
during Mr. Obama's term. All such gloomy predictions
have been dispelled. Thus both in terms of politics
and economics, the Indo-US relationship is Buttressed
by genuine areas of cooperation that benefit both
countries."


6. "DIPLOMATIC SUCCESS," editorial in left-of-center
Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN: "The diplomatic
success that Manmohan Singh has been able to achieve
during his Washington visit to corner neighboring
Pakistan on the eve of the 26/11 anniversary deserves
congratulation. It is now being felt that after
Singh's visit the relations between the two countries
would be strengthened. Obama's accepting the Prime
Minister's invitation to visit India in 2010 has also
sent new signals in the international arena. This is
the success of India."


7. "WHAT'S INDISPENSABLE?" article in English daily,
THE INDIAN EXPRESS: To be fixated on comparisons with
US-China ties is to miss the point. The emphasis is on
economic, technological and R&D cooperation and joint
efforts to bring about a knowledge century are perhaps
the most meaningful results of this summit. That does
not have the sex appeal of the Indo-US nuclear deal,
but this is a solid foundation for the Indo-US
cooperative effort.


8. "MANMOHAN4S SINGH'S STRAIGHT TALK," editorial in
Hindi daily, AMAR UJALA: "PM Singh's U.S. visit is
significant in many ways. This visit strategically
opens many such doors. While India has misgivings about
President Obama's joint communiqu in Beijing, U.S.-
India relations are truly at a warm people-to-people
level. Above all, it was remarkable how PM Singh minced
no words in protesting American protection to China and
Pakistan. That is no mean achievement!"

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THE ASIAN BALANCE
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9. "SINGH, OMABA AND THE ASIAN BALANCE," op-ed by C.
Raja Mohan in English daily, THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS:
"Singh's gains in Washington are certainly reversible
given the fact that US stakes are real and high in both
Beijing and Islamabad. Having moved the US towards a
more helpful position in relation to India's challenges
vis-a-vis China and Pakistan, Singh must now fully
leverage it by demonstrating diplomatic agility and

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strategic purposefulness in dealing with its two
nuclear neighbours. The game has just begun."


10. "TAKE AWAY FROM WASHINGTON," op-ed by K.
Subrahmanyam in centrist English daily, THE TIMES OF
INDIA: "President Obama appreciated India's role in
reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan.
The two leaders agreed to enhance their respective
efforts in this direction. With this statement
President Obama has made it clear he did not endorse
the apprehensions expressed by the Pakistanis and
accepted by some Americans including General McChrystal
that Indian development activities in Afghanistan were
a cause for concern for Pakistan."


11. "FLOODS OF PRAISE: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PM'S
VISIT TO THE U.S.?" editorial in independent Kannada
daily, VIJAYA KARNATAKA: "The only significant gain of
Prime Minister Singh's visit to the U.S. is that the
grand welcome reception. AMERICA did not extend
categorical support to India's stand in important
matters. While praising Prime Minister Singh on one
side, President Obama, on the other side, had laid his
hands on the shoulders of China and Pakistan."


12. "WISDOM DAWNS ON OBAMA," editorial in centrist
Marathi daily, NAVSHAKTI: "The popular impressions of
U.S. appeasement of China, created after U.S. President
Obama's China visit, were somewhat mellowed down after
the one and a half hour meeting between the president
and the Indian Prime Minister Singh. Both the leaders
have spoken in one voice against terrorism of all
kinds. The next logical step in the U.S.-India
bilateral relationship is the actual action plan to
deactivate the terrorist bases operating from Pakistani
soil."


13. "APKA SWAGAT HAI, SAYS OBAMA," editorial in
November 27 centrist Marathi daily, PRAHAR: "It is
quite clear that Obama values India as a crucial ally
in South Asia. After his China visit, political
observers had made conclusions about his obvious tilt
towards China. But the openness with which Singh spoke
about China and Pakistan shows Obama is aware of
India's role in the geo-politics of the region."

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LACKING SUBSTANCE
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14. "LAST MILE IN THE NUCLEAR DEAL," editorial in left-
of-center English daily, THE HINDU : "There can be
little question that the failure to reach agreement on
the arrangements and procedures for reprocessing spent
American fuel on Indian soil during Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's visit to the United States is a let-
down. The fact that the two sides were looking at the
agreement as a major deliverable from the visit
suggests the bilateral relationship is living on past
credit rather than current commitments. India must act
on the realization that there is no reason for it to

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lose sleep over the delay in settling the reprocessing
issue."


15. "A DEAL GONE SOUR," article by Bramha Chellaney in
English daily, DNA: "The ritzy state dinner US
president Barack Obama hosted in honour of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House could not
obscure the fact that Singh's visit yielded little in
substance."


16. "NO SUBSTANCE," editorial in left-of-center Kannada
daily, PRAJAVANI: "The meeting between Prime Minister
Singh and US President Obama has not achieved anything
significant. President Obama has given several
assurances with regard to many issues including civil
nuclear deal, climate change, but none of them are
concrete. US President Obama did not yield to India's
request to put more pressure on Pakistan with regard to
26/11 terror strikes and he did not make any
categorical statement in that regard."


18. "FROM AMERICA WITH A SMILE," article in English
daily, THE PIONEER: "Irrespective of what Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh's spin doctors in South Block
say, it is as plain as daylight that the Obama
Administration is not taking India seriously."
ZEYA