(Top) Barack Obama in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Mahatma Gandhi. (AP)

Washington, Feb. 23: Even as the Democratic presidential nomination becomes an uphill challenge for Hillary Clinton, the party’s frontrunner, Barack Obama, is mending fences with ethnic groups, such as Indian Americans whom he had alienated in the early stages of his campaign.

In a signed article in India Abroad, a leading Indian- American weekly, Obama spoke of his support for the Indo-US nuclear deal, but stopped just short of saying that he would continue the Bush administration’s vigorous pursuit of the deal if he was elected President.

Extracts from the article, which is yet to be published, were made available here this morning.

Describing India and the US as “natural partners”, Obama wrote: “That is why I voted for the US-India nuclear energy deal on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And that is why I will move forward to build a close strategic partnership between the US and India when I am President of the US”.

There is a sense of history repeating itself about Obama’s approach to India.

When George W Bush became US President in 2001, about the only policy of his predecessor Bill Clinton that he did not dump was Clinton’s opening to India.

It would appear from Obama’s article — his first policy articulation on South Asia since he became a presidential aspirant — that geopolitical compulsions have made him realise that Bush’s approach to India was a strategic necessity for the US.

“The world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largestdemocracy are natural partners, sharing important interests and fundamental democratic values,” Obama wrote.

Describing the fight against terrorism as a factor that brings together Washington and New Delhi, hewrote: “Both countries have been victims of catastrophic terrorist attacks, and we have a shared interest in succeeding in the fight against al Qaida and its operational and ideological affiliates.” A significant difference with the outgoing Bush administration that the Democratic frontrunner highlighted in his article referred to Pakistan.

“We cannot put all of our eggs in the Musharraf basket in Pakistan,” Obama asserted. “Long before the declaration of martial law in Pakistan,” he recalled having argued that “we need to condition our assistance to the Pakistani government so that we encourage stronger action against al Qaida and a restoration of democracy” in Pakistan.

“Our goal remains not simply an all-in Pakistan, our goal is a democratic ally, with a vibrant civil society and strong institutions.”

Obama referred to a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi which is on the wall of his Senate office and described his admiration for Gandhiji.

“In my life, I have always looked to Mahatma Gandhi asan inspiration, because he embodies the kind of transformational change that can be made when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things.

“That is why his portrait hangs in my Senate office, to remind me that real results will not just come from Washington, they will come from the people.

“And that is why I am proud to have the long-standing support of so many Indian Americans in all aspects of my campaign, as well as the endorsements of leading elected Indian American lawmakers”.