U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to India has been received with aplomb on economic terms by the international community. However, the regional political dimensions of the visit remain shrouded in secrecy. There was no obvious signal that the U.S. had exerted any pressure on India regarding rapprochement with Pakistan, nor was there a clear sign of how India’s role in Afghanistan might be better aligned with U.S. interests. Perhaps the missing link in all these conversations is science — an underutilized means of diplomacy worldwide, but particularly in South Asia. This is especially ironic since the subcontinent is perhaps the most “geek-friendly” place on Earth. Science and engineering are deeply ingrained in South Asian culture as the primrose path to success.
Author Archives: Saleem H. Ali
Saleem H. Ali, a Pakistani-American, is a professor of environmental planning at the University of Vermont and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer for 2010.