Flying economy

He flew economy. Not business. With 250 "dhando-people" in tow, America's salesman-in-chief (as Obama has been described recently) flew in the US economy in a desperate (?) bid to win over the hub of outsourcing. How the mighty fall!

The Obamas made Mumbai their first stop, not a bad move, considering the maximum city is the economic and financial capital of India. Some might even say that the stock market's Diwali mahurat trading bonanza of 21k+ was, in no small measure, attributable to the potential gains from trade that Obama was rumoured to bring along with him.

However, as Indians, most of us like the Republicans more, I suspect, what with their low-taxation and free-trade policies. So Obama's more restrictive approach, if you will, is all well and good for the American rhetoric, but here, he sang a different tune. Within hours of landing, he signed deals with billions of dollars (sold us a lot of fighter jets, watch out, neighbours?), claiming to generate 50,000 jobs back in the States, boost bilateral trade and open doors to more and greater opportunities for our people. Does India really need to trade with the United States? While India's annual GDP growth (largely fueled by growing domestic demand) is in the 8-9% range, the US economy is only growing at about 2%. But we like the products that American make (market); from cheap consumer electronics to fancy educational degrees. Why the US claims to need India as a major trading partner is still a bit of a mystery. Its trade deficit is still pitted against only China's capacity to manufacture and supply extremely cheap goods in tremendous volumes, year after year.

As is customary, we went a tad overboard with our hospitality - what with the traditional welcome being accorded by PYTs dressed as brides of India, the finest camels and horses on display at Rashtrapati Bhavan (err, why?), the lavishness of the meals, the PM enveloping Obama in a great bear-hug at the airport (what a nightmare for protocol sticklers!), the Obamas being forced to Bhangra their way from Mumbai to Delhi and so on. Hopefully it provided a wee bit bit of distraction to the visiting dignitaries who are probably still smarting from a resounding mid-term loss of the House and barely managing to hold on to the Senate.

Finally, a note to Michelle Obama's on her choice of clothing on which more was written than the politics of diplomacy in the past few days. Please don't bring your drab greens and greys and utterly shapeless outfits over to India again. We like people of and with colour. Outsource the wardrobe - you know the drill.