President Bush’s unexpected invitation to Prime Minister Vajpayee to visit Washington next month is evidently aimed at addressing widespread misgivings in India that the United States is jettisoning its stated goal of developing strategic ties with New Delhi because of the changed circumstances in the neighbourhood.
The invitation, extended by Bush after consultations with the principals in his Cabinet at the instance of National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and US ambassador in Delhi Robert Blackwill, was carried by Secretary of State Colin Powell and was immediately accepted by the Prime Minister.