The time it took for the massive American ship of State to shift direction and respond with a few words, damage was done. Dark scenarios and deep conspiracy theories filled the public square. The most absurd involved a claim that people around Joe Biden were deliberately letting Narendra Modi squirm in the crisis of his own making.
Foe Biden
The ‘agenda people’ were also out there in force to deflect responsibility for the devastation from the Indian government where it firmly belongs. The US became a convenient scapegoat. Twitter wisdom abounded — it’s better to have a declared enemy than a dubious friend. Gratuitous insults were thrown at Kamala Harris, the vice-president who was supposed to prove her Indian ancestry because some of the dead were also ‘chithis’ to someone.
One should ignore the irrational. But it’s hard to deny some loss of goodwill in the US’ battle for Indian hearts and minds. It will take time to recover. As the saying goes, Americans don’t remember history and the Indians never forget it. Both sides can do a little of the other in the interest of repairing the breach.
First, it’s important to acknowledge a friend in crisis and say something. Not the utterly tone-deaf, jaw-dropping stuff that came from the State Department spokesman last Thursday. The absence of a sensible, sensitive and strong statement of support from the US administration for days on end is inexplicable. It shouldn’t have to take ‘an inter-agency process’ for senior US officials to offer sympathy.
Even Imran Khan found words of sympathy and solidarity for the people of India. Britain, France, Iran, Russia and even China offered support, but Biden was quiet, as were his top lieutenants. Many prominent Americans noticed the deafening silence and scolded their government.
It took a massive outpouring of rage from Indians and repeated pleas from US senators, former advisers, doctors and experts to extract the first reasonable statement from Jen Psaki, the White House spokeswoman. It shouldn’t have to be this way between declared friends.
But once the problem had registered, the two national security advisers talked and the wheels began to move. The mind was focused. Almost everything India needed was on offer along with an abundance of sympathy from cabinet members. A way around the Defence Production Act was found.
Second, asking for help is not a sign of weakness. The pandemic has tested all governments and all systems. No one has come out on top. India needs critical supplies to fight back. Some say the Indian side may not have conveyed the request for medical supplies with the sense of urgency the situation required. The US side was sensitive not to get ahead of GoI with offers of help lest it irritate Modi’s image managers.
A Frand in Deed
I am told Indian officials gave a list of more than 35 items to the US side nearly three weeks ago soon after Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla wrote to GoI. But waters get a bit muddy after that, especially with Poonawalla’s statements and tweets on what’s needed from the US for which of his vaccine lines.
Hopefully, there is clarity going forward and less politics of commercial interests. Ambassador Taranjit Sandhu has been working the phones, rallying support on Capitol Hill, especially with members of the powerful Black Caucus. He has been dubbed the ‘Zoom Master’ for the serial meetings he conducts.
Third, the Biden administration’s South Asia operation is not fully staffed. The US embassy in New Delhi has no ambassador and no deputy chief of mission. There is no confirmed assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia yet. Donald Lu, a career foreign service officer, was nominated for the job just four days back. The administration is still settling down and Indian requests got lost in the shuffle. But this is not a good enough reason.
Fourth, the US will be back for real when it takes the morally right step and lifts patent protections on vaccines as India and 55 other countries have requested. That’s a sure way to ramp up production on a scale the situation demands. Biden has no answer yet on this most important question. The ‘soul of America’ must be with the people, not with Big Pharma.