There is an indescribable joy in witnessing a historic occasion, even from a great distance. Thus most educated Indians have rejoiced at the election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States of America. The entry of the first coloured president into the White House is a reversal of many years of oppression and discrimination against the blacks in the US. It is also a triumph of democracy in the US since Mr Obama’s rise from the situation of being a poor black boy to the presidency demonstrates the opportunities that exist in that country. Mr Obama’s election not only fulfils the dreams of people who believe in racial equality in the US, but is also a step in the direction of making the world free of prejudices. All these made Guy Fawke’s Day 2008 a memorable day for most people across the world, including those in India.

As life returns to normal — from the historic to the quotidian — there is cause to ponder the implications of Mr Obama’s victory for India. Indians cannot ignore the fact that the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, was not among the first nine world leaders that Mr Obama called immediately after being elected. To make matters worse, Mr Obama’s spokesperson said that those that Mr Obama spoke to were US allies. This raises the fear that the much-flaunted phrase — India and the US are natural allies — may have disappeared from the pages of the US diplomatic lexicon. Another aspect of concern for the Indian political establishment is Mr Obama’s promise to attempt to ratify the comprehensive test ban treaty. There are good reasons to fear that considerable pressure will, in the near future, be brought to bear on the government of India to sign the CTBT. It is also worth remembering that Mr Obama, if his recent public pronouncements are anything to go by, is not averse to the idea of diplomatic intervention in Kashmir. All these are positions, if adhered to and carried out into policy, that run counter to India’s foreign policy positions and priorities. These are early days to read and interpret Indo-US diplomatic tea leaves, but there exist enough grounds not to harbour any kind of unqualified optimism at Mr Obama’s accession to the US presidency.

The saving grace is that Mr Obama has identified Pakistan and Afghanistan as the focal points of global terror. The practical implications of this may make it difficult, if not impossible, for Mr Obama to take steps to alienate India and to drive a wedge in the new friendship between India and the US. From the perspective of Indian realpolitik, Mr Obama’s great victory with all its historical associations should be irrelevant. India should stand firm on its own interests and the priorities of foreign policy that have been worked out over the years. If that means a quick dispelling of the aura enveloping Mr Obama, so be it.