Should any two countries have special relationships?

Indian students have been attacked in Australia. No students should be attacked. Let us treat all students with courtesy and care wherever they are from.

Let us support India when we think India is in the right. Let us oppose India when we think India is in the wrong. Otherwise let us take the attitude that what India does is simply none of our business unless it affects us or there is an issue of human rights involved. However, we can be aware of Indian sensitivities.

Prime Ministers Hawke and Howard disregarded Indian sensitivities and fears. Hawke sold Mirage jets to Pakistan, and Howard leased the Cox Peninsula radio transmitter to Christian Voice who broadcast messages to India. Government has no business selling arms to volatile areas or supporting missionary activities.

Special relationships make it more likely that we support the other country where there is conflict. That draws us into conflict unnecessarily.

Let us strengthen our bonds with international organisations but have special relationships with no country.

Pretty good article though I think it over-emphasises crime in Australia which sadly impacts upon many groups more, such as Aborigines.

Australia's increasing relationship with China under Rudd has been at the expense of our once growing relationship with India under Howard.

Howard not only promised uranium to India but under him Australia was an enthusiastic participant in the quadrilateral (Australia, US, Japan, India) defence understanding, in real terms aimed at containing China.

I think that one of the unwritten trade agreements with China is that China shall have the lion's share of Australia's uranium (it gets most) while China's strategic and economic competitor, India, will be denied our uranium. China also pressured Australia into dropping out of the quadrilateral shortly after Rudd took office.

China and India still occasionally skirmish on their border and have aimed nuclear missiles at each other for at least the last 5 years. Australia's uranium trade embargo to India means slower economic and military growth for India. This is to China's advantage.

In short Australia favours China, Australia's far more important trade partner.

Problem is we are putting so many of our interests in the China basket that a changed stance in China (Mr Hu's gaoling is a small indicator) might leave us exposed.

Rudd is all talk about building a relationship with India. India probably realises that for Australia China comes first. Only greater Indian-Australian trade and Indian investment in Australia will change this situation. Nice words count little.

Pete
see http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2009/10/unconventional-partners-australia-india.html

" A special relationship"? how can this develop when OZ bashing and hypocritical accusations of "racism" are favorite sports of the Indian media. Check out the online Indian newspapers.