The South Asia Story

The First Sixty Years of US Relations with India and Pakistan

This book deals with the complex and changing U.S. relations with India and Pakistan in the sixty years since World War II. It carries a series of brief sketches on how twelve U.S. presidents, starting with Franklin Roosevelt, perceived and dealt with South Asia. The author proposes that though there are broad historical patterns in which the policies and decisions of these American presidents can be classified, yet their unique personalities and ideological predispositions also played a role in the political choices they made. Since none of them ever had any substantial experience with South Asia prior to assuming office, probing the reasons for their preferences and decisions is an enlightening and interesting exercise.

With the unfolding of the South Asia policies of the new U.S. President, Barrack Obama, this book will provide the much needed background study to the readers.