Most Indians say 'thumbs up' to second Bush term

Most Indians say 'thumbs up' to second Bush term

By Scott Baldauf | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

NEW DELHI – In New York and Los Angeles, President Bush's inauguration Thursday may have been the occasion for mourning. Latin Americans may have fretted about "los yanquis," and Parisians may have muttered something about civilisation.

Indeed, a new poll found that, in 18 of 21 countries surveyed, more people considered the world to be less secure because of Mr. Bush's reelection.

But not in India. Here, Bush's fresh four years as president of the United States is given a firm thumbs up. And no, that doesn't mean something rude in Indian culture.

India's reasons for bucking the global distrust-America trend - a phenomenon that largely resulted from America's 2003 decision to launch a preemptive war in Iraq without UN approval, according to recent surveys - say much about how India sees itself in the post-cold war and post-Sept. 11, 2001, world. Based on a combination of business links, immigration trends, shared views on terrorism, and national self-interest, India's increasingly warm approach toward Washington is one of the reasons the US now regards India as a rising global and regional power, and a partner above most other nations in Asia.