Complete mood swing in US on relations with India after Narendra Modi's ascent to power

From an environment of perceived policy paralysis and an anti-India campaign by the influential American corporate sector a year ago, there appears to be a complete mood swing in the US on relations with India ever since the new Indian government came to power, officials say. 

Following a series of administrative steps and new policies that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented since being sworn in on May 26, experts here believe that India is once again on track to a high growth rate. 

With Modi at the helm, officials here feel India is now ready to not only demonstrate strong leadership on regional and key global issues, but also would act as a stabilising factor in this part of the world. 

The same businesses, which till a year ago were planning to withdraw their investment from India arguing that there was no business environment in the country are now queuing up to meet the prime minister who would be travelling to the US later this week, observing that India is now headed for a better business environment. 

Before the competition heats up, they say it is better that they set up base in India. 

"After the election there has been a complete mood swing in India-US relationship. The relationship was going through a fairly difficult period last year and the first half of this year. There is an enormous optimism today about where the relationship could grow," officials here said. 

There is a lot of business interest in the relationship. Today there is enormous interest in its possibilities, officials said on condition of anonymity. 

"India has changed. The sentiment in India has changed. Post-election, it is a new energetic and vibrant India, which has resulted in the US having a fresh look at India," an official said adding in the past few months business sentiment has strengthened and investments have started flowing. 

All of that is effecting perception and change in attitude in India, he said. 

The very fact that President Barack Obama sent his top three cabinet ministers - Secretary of State John Kerry, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker - in the first 100 days of the Modi government is reflective of the importance he attaches to India now. 

When Obama meets Modi at his Oval Office in Washington next week, focus is unlikely to be on the contentious issues including the civilian nuclear deal. 

The deal is considered as the one which opened a new vista of relations. 

Without the nuclear deal, current cooperation in the field of space and defence would not have taken place. 

"Suddenly in the last six months, India has emerged as a land of possibilities, thus the excitement about India in the US," the US official said.