Obama’s Warming To China Seen As Slight In India

The statement, on its surface, seemed like any other bland missive released at the end of a polite visit by a head of state. It was put out by the united States and China after President Obama's visit there, and said that the two countries would "work together to promote peace, stability and development" in South Asia.

But on the eve of the visit to Washington by the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, where on Tuesday he will be the guest of honor at President Obama's first state dinner, the words rank as one of several perceived slights that have dampened hopes for a new chapter in the sometimes rocky relationship between the United States and India.

The vague statement has been widely interpreted here as an invitation to China to meddle in India's backyard, and prompted howls of dismay across the political spectrum.

"How can you make China responsible for keeping peace in South Asia?" said Prem Shankar Jha, a columnist and political analyst, channeling the prevailing sentiment among Delhi's chattering class. "China has done nothing in South Asia except to play a destructive role here," he continued, referring to China's close ties to India's archrival, Pakistan.