Now it is clear there would be no rollback of the civil nuclear co-operation with the US

By O.J.George

US President Barack Obama has done the wonderful thing by declaring India as a nuclear power in his welcome address to Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at the White House.

He has attached great importance to ties with India by hosting Dr Manmohan Singh as his first state guest during his Presidency and that has historical importance.

Critics both in India and the US have been silenced by Obama with the recognition accorded to India as a nuclear power, and now there can be no going back.

Countries like Australia and Canada which were reluctant to do business with India as a nuclear power would now see reason and toe the line set by the US, otherwise they would be the losers.

Recently, there has been criticism that Obama during his visit to China,super rated that country in the Asian region, to the chagrin of India.

Now the records have been made straight and there would be great going in strategic relations between the US and India.

India by becoming a responsible nuclear power with achievements in space explorations with much more in the offing cannot be ignored by the world at large. Its human resources could be used for the benefit of the world.

There would be increased co-operation in various areas like education, health, climate change steps, research, energy and so on, but the greater achievement is the enhanced level of perception for strategic relations.