Your leader, “Engaging Uncle Sam” (September 24), is a timely reminder to reshape the ideas that forge more informed engagement with the US as a possible strategic partner. At the same time we cannot ignore those responsible for breaking down this monopoly, China and Russia. We must also not forget to evaluate the intrinsic value of the currency of these countries and using appropriate models form an opinion on their relative status going forward the next 10, 20 years.

There is a school of thought that intrinsic value of the dollar is negative and is only supported by the guns of Uncle Sam. The same group argues that dollar value is supported by citizens’ excessive consumption and highly leveraged technology prowess. Both cannot remain at current levels.

Balakrishnan V

Email

Our Prime Minister is going to meet a lot of business leaders on his US trip. He should invite a lot of FDI into our economy; in doing so we should have policies which discourage short-term flows into our equity and debt markets. Short-term capital can destabilise the economy. He should also make it clear that if they invest in India they must pay their fair share of taxes. He should assure them that the procedures to start and conduct a business will be made easier. We need investments to grow and let’s get it by having clear laws. Let’s not change the goal post after the game has begun.

CR Arun

Email

Correct stand

This is with reference to the article, “India right in taking on WTO top guns” by Shekar Swamy (September 24). India being home to a large population of poor is right by not signing the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The agreement once implemented will make it difficult for India to bring the developed nations back to the negotiation table. The stand shows that India has repeatedly stood with the common cause of poor countries and is no more a “soft state”.

Ankit Garg

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

It may be recalled that the talks on the special safeguard mechanism (SSM) at the Doha Development Round of the WTO in Geneva in 2008 were not successful. In fact, SSM will enable developing countries such as India to impose additional duties or hike agricultural tariffs to protect the livelihood of poor farmers from import surges and price declines of sensitive agricultural products. This mechanism was agreed upon in Hong Kong in December 2005.

The opposition from countries like the US is only reflective of their vested interests. Their insistence on applying SSM only at a higher rate of import surge is not acceptable; it will definitely affect poor farmers. Besides, such a demand will kill the purpose of introducing SSM. Instead of trading charges against one another, the WTO should take all the necessary steps to revive and encourage SSM.

P Senthil Saravana Durai

Tuticorin

Corporatisation of ports

This refers to the article, “Turn ports into landlords” by NK Kurup (September 24.) The Tariff Authority is also ineffective when private operators circumvent its order, as it happened in JNPT, when the Authority ordered reduction of tariff. The need for a tariff authority itself arose consequent to bidding norms where private terminal operator quote highest revenue share to the Port Trust to win concession. On the other hand, if the Port Trust fixes lease rent for land or a certain fee as operating right, the private bidder can be asked to quote the lowest rate in rupee/dollar as the case may be for each item of operation subject to the condition that the operator must not levy any new charge or provide any service other than for which rates are applicable. Tweaking bidding norms in this manner may usher in competition and obviate the need for a tariff authority.

KV Iyer

Kochi

Clean up

For the first time we are seeing a Prime Minister concerned about cleanliness. Lack of public hygiene is the cause of ill health and our poor image as a nation. Hope he succeeds in making people practice clean habits in public places.

VS Ganeshan

Bangalore

The India factor

This is with reference to the editorial “Engaging Uncle Sam” September 24). Taking the democratic and other genuine credentials of India seriously, the US must extend all sorts of assistance to India. Helping India grow means good growth for the US as well. Any backward looking thoughts from the US establishment will prove to be costly for its overall growth. Restricting visas for the skilled Indian manpower and curtailing US companies from investing in India are myopic policies of the US government. The US establishment must introspect the contributions of Indians in developing every sector of its nation. From NASA to Microsoft to health care to legal services, its Indians who are behind the American growth.

A Prabaharan

Trichy

Reinvent relations

With increasing globalisation and our economy rapidly growing, the Indo-US relations need re-tuning. Sadly, the last decade witnessed a cooling off in Indo-US engagement, perhaps more due to the US being embroiled in its internal politics and economic slide. On top of this, the US has been shifting the epicentre of its geo-political interests away from this sub continent. A shared political dais is a prerequisite for large nations to have enduring relationship. Without a common minimum political agenda, we can but find transient satisfaction in an N’Deal or trade. With the Afghan front coming to a crescendo this year and growing internal troubles in Pakistan and given a powerful and unreliable China, a new politico-economic paradigm in Indo-US relations needs to be set to secure our interests.

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad

Mars Indianised

By successfully putting Mangalyaan into orbit around Mars — called the Red Planet for its reddish appearance and association with war and blood — in its maiden attempt, India has made space history. The orbiter’s successful manoeuvres culminating in the insertion into an elliptical orbit of Mars with precision ‘on an automatic mode’ were a tribute to the collective genius and tireless work of 500-odd homegrown Indian scientists at ISRO. The exploration of space is no longer the exclusive preserve of the developed countries — thanks to India’s demonstration of its ability to undertake an inter-planetary mission, that too at a low cost, to Mars to explore its soil and atmosphere for the next 6-8 months.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

It’s heartening to see that India has become the first country to succeed in a Mars mission in the maiden attempt. Kudos to ISRO scientists, who achieved this remarkable feat. The success of India’s first interplanetary mission will give a huge impetus to our plans for a manned mission. Now India can give to the world low-cost space services as the MOM was the cheapest of Mars missions in monetary terms. This will boost ISRO’s confidence to take up more commercial launches. Also, we have to include space science in the school curriculum and strengthen our efforts to inculcate scientific temper in children.

Kiran Jose

Kottayam, Kerala

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