Wednesday, October 15, 2008

India can deal with anybody: Sinha

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said while the man in the White House will be important, the basic approach in both countries won't undergo any great changes...

If you look at the direct impact on India... there is fear that a lot of outsourcing jobs may go out of India? What sense are you making of it?

Sinha: It is bound to have an effect on outsourcing because we have already seen stories of great distress among Indian professionals in the US. Many of them have lost jobs, and are heading home... there are likely to be more job losses because of the crisis both in the financial and the IT Sector. So, it is a bad time for Indian professionals in the US and there is no glimmer of hope also as things are not likely to change in the next six months... some people say that it can last up to two years. So, it is bound to affect outsourcing also...

Do you think that at the time of the crisis, US will look increasingly within rather than looking at global situation?

Sinha: It could happen as you said... they are inward-looking people. In fact, if you see, US newspapers, except a few that are truly international, are full of local news. People in the US have less access to international news as probably we have... Therefore, there could be a tendency for the US to be embroiled in its domestic problems rather than be outward-looking. There are issues on the global scenario which the US cannot ignore... The current presidential debate shows that both the contestants are concerned about what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. While there might be some inward-looking issues, I think US will have to play the role it has played in global affairs....

How important is the next man in the White House going to be?

Sinha: It is the systems in both the governments that work, and the systems don't change very much. So, while the man in the White House will be important, the basic approach in both countries won't undergo any great changes...

On the face of it, India seems closer to the Republican regime since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George bush have pushed so much for the nuclear deal. So, if Democrats were to come to power, will India have to start from scratch?

Sinha: No. I don't think that way... although I don't support the nuclear deal, I think the deal would not have been through had it not been for the bipartisan support that it got... so, we have dealt with both the Democratic regime and the Republican regime... so it should not be a problem in dealing with a Democratic President again...

Obama or McCain?

Sinha: I can't make a personal comment... I think who ever wins should be our man in the White House...

No comments: