Republic Day Message from Mike Ghouse

Republic Day Message from Mike Ghouse

Today is India's Republic Day, the day upon which India’s constitution was adopted. Thanks to Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, and Maulana Azad for laying a good foundation for our nation and nurturing a pluralistic democracy and placed a good stable sustainable nation in our hands.  Had they not done the right thing, you and I would not have had the freedom and prosperity we have seen. It could have been a tinpot dictatorship banana republic, thank God they steered us in the right direction.

Now it is the duty of our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dutifully sail the ship in the same right direction set by our founding fathers.  This is what they would say to the Prime Minister in handing over the nation, "Manzil pay aaya mulk her bala ko taal ke, Hum laye hain toofan say kishti nikal ke, es desh ko rakhna mere bachcho sambhal ke.”

I am proud of my mother country India and my homeland America and I will defend both nations with my last breath. We are inherently a democratic people with responsible capitalistic economies.* The strength of a nation lies on two solid feet to stand firmly – one is economic justice, i.e., sab ka Vikas and the other is social cohesion, i.e., sab ka Saath.  It is how different groups function together for the common good without fighting among themselves.

At this time, India is struggling to stand on her feet – we do not have sab ka Saath neither Prime Minister Modi is doing anything to bring the communities together, let alone speaking out against the division.  Sab Ka Vikas is a forlorn thing – when someone has seen 3000% increase in his wealth while the majority is going down, it is nothing but Kuch ka vikas.

Both my nations are working with the idea of democracy against temptations to rule people. You rule people when you don't believe they have the God-given intelligence to make fair decisions for themselves. That is what the British thought of us that we were incapable of ruling ourselves, which that SOB Churchill had verbalized and wanted to divide us and continue to rule, but failed... He laid the eggs that are hatching in the form of homegrown divisive Indian individuals. The only way to counter is to lay good eggs to overwhelm the bad eggs. Let each one of us do more good to one and all to reverse the fall.

Ask not what Modi can do for India; ask yourselves what you can to restore dharma (sab ka saath). And I ask each one of you to ask yourselves, what have you done to keep the nation together? What have you done to guard the freedom of fellow Indians? What have you done, to tell the truth? What have you done to develop harmony among Indians? What have you done to preserve the freedom of all? Remember, your freedom hinges on the freedom of others around you, if you bully others, you will always live in apprehension and fear of the other at the end no one will live in peace.

If you are a Muslim (or anyone from the minority communities), have you invited a Hindu to a dinner at your home and vice versa? Do you have at least 5 friends from other communities? If not, why not? Are you a contributor towards India's Vikas? If not, it is not too late to make a pledge to do the right thing – to respect every fellow Indian and let him or her live his life in the pursuit of his happiness. Live your life and let others live theirs.  Let everyone have the God-given freedom to breath, eat, drink, wear or believe whatever the hell he or she wants. Be a contributor to the common good, it brings Mukti from ill-will.

India's culture has been around for 5000 years and every now and then it has faced temporary setbacks, and what we are going through now is a temporary face. Indians will wake up and restore India's glory of freedom, democracy, and pluralism.

India's pluralistic Ethos:

My Dear Fellow Indians, 

We are Indians and nothing but Indian.

An Indian is an Indian is an Indian, period.

As a nation, collectively we are Adivasis, Atheists, Bahais, Bos, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Hindus, Jains, Jewish, Muslim, Sikhs, Tribals, Zoroastrians and every possible grouping. We are Brown, Black, White, Yellow and green with envy, magar phir bhi dil hai Hindustani.

Our Motherland is represented by every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, and religion. We see God as one, none and many; and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names.

We are proud of our heritage - a multi-faith, multicultural, multi-regional and multi-linguistic society, where we have come to accept and respect every which way people have lived their lives. For over 5000 years, India has been a beacon of pluralism - it has embraced Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i and Zoroastrianism to include in the array of the indigenous religions; Hinduism, Tribal traditions, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.  

We may want to consciously start thinking and acting as one people, one people within a nation and a community and one people globally. It’s like home when we are conflict free.  I do hope each one of us purges any bias towards the other, there is joy in being free from ill-will. Try to be free from this day forward… free from anything that prevents you from being a part of the whole. 

Our combined philosophies believe in one world ; Hinduism describes the world as Vasudaiva Kutumbukum, the whole world is one family, the idea of Ek Onkar(one) in Sikhism, you are all created from the same couple as Quraan puts it and Jesus embraced every one regardless of who anyone is... similar philosophies are grounded in all our religions. 

A few don't follow their own heritage and resort to thievery, loot, murder, terrorism, rioting, rapes, infanticide and other evils that destroy the fabric of the society,  but a majority of every group goes about their own way, living their life with struggles and ease and don't even bother others. We should build upon the 99% of the population and not on the less than 1% that does not follow any principles.

On this day, and every day from here forward, make a pledge to yourselves to talk about in terms of "I am an Indian" - and not Malayalee, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi.... or Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isaee. Don't expect others to jump and say the same, give them the time and if you are consistent for at least a year, you will see others emulating you.

India led the way to the freedom movement, since 1947 every country has been liberated from colonialism. Indian democracy is a shining example to the world, where the people have peacefully transferred the powers.

We are inherently secular and economically capitalistic. We believe in "live-and-let-live" lifestyle, which is the essence of capitalism.  We respect everyone's right to eat, drink, wear or believe in whatever they want after all God created each one of to be a unique being with our own thumbprint, eye print, taste buds, religious buds, and DNA. 

Through the years we have expressed the highest degree of maturity on handling extreme situations; the more divergent opinions we hear, the larger our heart grows, the bigger our embrace would be and we can cushion more differences. Let’s continue to honor the concept that there is always another side to the story, as finding the truth is our own responsibility. I am proud of my heritage and am proud to be an Indian-American.

.....

Indian Pledge of Allegiance

With a belief that every Indian wants justice and demands a fair treatment of every one of the 1.1 billion Indians; rich or poor, connected or not, we must come to grips with the social and community life to create an exemplary India, that will become a model nation in the world.

We have to figure out how to co-exist with least frictions. It is in your interests, my interest, and everyone's interest to have justice, which gives birth to sustainable peace and prosperity

We have to find solutions for people who go to the extremes; be them be Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian or other, hoping they would recognize the God-given space to each one of us and eventually see the benefits of co-existence.

I propose that the parliament of India introduce a bill for every political, cultural and religious organization in India to register with the Home Ministry, state their purpose, list their assets for public scrutiny, list the membership roster to be updated annually. Include a modified version of the 7 items into Indian Penal Code, and make it into the law to punish the violators of the law.

Patriotism should be defined in terms of what you do to uplift the hopes of people, in terms of education to all, jobs to as many as we can in each successive year, home for every human, and a better lifestyle to every Indian.

Every public office holder from the Peon to the President of India and everyone in between must take this pledge and live by it. Violation should disqualify him or her from holding the public office. Let it be monitored publicly.

1. I pledge allegiance to India, indivisible nation that stands for liberty and justice for all.

2. I pledge that I honor and treat every Indian with "full" dignity.

3. I pledge that all individuals would be treated on par.

4. I pledge that I will treat all religions with equal respect, equal access, and equal treatment.

5. I pledge that I will oppose any act that treats any Indian less than myself.

6. I Pledge that I will work for an India, where every individual can live with security and aspire for prosperity.

7. I pledge that I will protect, preserve and value every inch of India and every human soul in India

This would be the first step towards ensuring a Just, peaceful and prosperous India, that can sustain its progress and peace.

Click and enjoy:

Our National Anthem National Anthem 2 Twenty Patriotic songs on click \India's Map

Jai Hind

Mike Ghouse

Committed to cohesive societies

www.MikeGhouse.net

http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/

PATRIOTIC SONGS

·                     Vande Mataram - AR Rahman

·                     Vande Mataram

·                     Sarfaroshi ki Tamanna ab

·                     Saray jahan say achha -1

·                     Saray Jahan say achha - lata

·                     Mere Desh Ki Dharti

·                     Mera rangde basanti chola

·                     Kar chalay hum fida,

·                     Jahan Daal Daal par sone

·                     Hum laye hain toofan say kishti

·                     Hai preet jahan ki reet sada

·                     Ganga Meri Maa ka Naam

·                     Apni azadi ku hum hargiz

·                     Apni Azaadi ko hargiz hum

·                     ai watan ai watan, tujh ko

·                     Ai mere pyaare watan,

·                     Aao bachcho tumheien sire

·                     A jo des hai tera - Shahrukh

·                     A desh hai veer jawanon ka

...............................................................................................................................

Jai Hind

* The song, hum laye hain toofan say kishti nikal ke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddrx8288qwA

* History of Republic Day by Dr. Frank Islam at http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2018/01/india-can-be-standard-setter-for.html

* Responsible capitalism is based on economic and social justice and is sustainable, where as abusive capitalism takes advantage of the weak and will collapse one day or the other cause a loss to everyone- Rich getting richer is not bad, but if they become rich beating up on the disadvantaged, it is bound to shatter causing every one severe pain.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel,India, interfaith, and cohesion at workplace and society. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He believes in Standing up for others and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links. Most of his work is at www.CenterforPluralism.com 

India can be a standard-setter for democracy worldwide

This is a good story of our constitutions, worth reading and sharing

Courtesy of South Asia Monitor

By Frank F. Islam

This is written from my adopted homeland of the United States of America to celebrate Republic Day in my motherland of India. It is a love letter to acknowledge the enormous privileges and benefits that I received growing up in India and then maturing in the US -- the two largest democratic republics in the world.

Because of that duality, I have come to understand that these two great nation states have travelled somewhat parallel paths constitutionally to become the bulwarks of democracy that they are. Republic Day in India is held on January 26 to commemorate the date on which the Indian Constitution came into effect in 1950 -- roughly two-and-a-half-years after the country's independence. In the United States, Constitution Day is observed on September 17 to commemorate the adoption of the statute in 1787.

Both India and the United States took considerable time to draft and adapt the constitutions that created their democratic systems of government.

In India, the first draft of the Constitution was created on November 4, 1947. That draft was debated in 166 sessions open to the public, amended, and finally approved by the 308 members of the Constituent Assembly drawn from the provinces of India on November 26, 1949.

In the US, 55 delegates convened in May of 1787 in a Constitutional Convention and on September 17 of that year had a version of the Constitution that was approved. That version was not ratified by the necessary states, however, until May of 1790, out after a Bill of Rights with 10 amendments was added.

Neither the US nor the Indian constitutions are perfect documents. But, they are crucibles for democracy providing the frameworks for the democratic governing process.

Fifteen amendments have been added to the US Constitution since the original ten so now there are a total of 25 amendments. In addition, the Code of Federal Regulations which spells out the general and permanent rules established by the federal government totals more than 185,000 pages.

The Indian Constitution is the longest in the world. At its inception, it consisted of 395 Articles arranged under 22 Parts and eight Schedules. Today, after many amendments, it has 447 Articles arranged under 26 Parts and 12 Schedules.

The constitutions of India and the United States give citizens the rights to vote. In India, the right to vote is guaranteed to all citizens over the age of 18 and is provided by Article 326 of the Constitution and the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951.

The right to vote in the US has been more evolutionary. Limited rights were specified for males and land-owners in the original version of the Constitution. The right for those of colour was added by the 15th amendment in 1870 and the right for women added by the 19th amendment in 1920.

Neither country's constitution mandates compulsory voting. The turnout in the last general election in India in 2014 was over 66% -- meaning over 530 million Indians voters went to the polls, the largest number in the history of the world. The turnout in the last general election in the United States was approximately 55.5 per cent with a total of more than 138 million eligible voters coming to the polls.

The turnouts in the US, with those large numbers of citizens participating without being compelled to do so, provide lessons in democracy. They also attest to the strength of the countries' constitutions.

The US and India both commemorate their constitutions. Constitution Day in the United States is primarily ceremonial with little hoopla or hullabaloo. By contrast, Republic Day in India is a major celebration with a huge parade and many associated events in Delhi and other ceremonies across the nation.

Leaders from around the world attend the Republic Day parade. This year, for the first time, heads of states from 10 ASEAN nations will be in the reviewing stand for the parade. Heads of State who have been guests of honour at the parade in the past include Queen Elizabeth II of England, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and President Francoise Hollande of France.

In 2015, the paths of the United States of America and India crossed on Republic Day when President Obama and Prime Minister Modi sat together at the parade and participated in other related events. I had the distinct privilege to a member of the Obama-US delegation for those ceremonies.

It was during that visit to India that I came to the realisation of how doubly blessed I had been by these two great democracies. They gave me freedom, opportunity and most importantly nurtured me to be who I wanted to be and become what I wanted to be.

I owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid. That is why my philanthropic ventures to date have been centred on investments to support self-actualisation in both countries and I have established the Frank Islam Institute for 21st Century Citizenship to promote civic engagement that will keep their democracies strong through this new century.

In his famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech delivered in 1947 upon India's independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, said: "The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman."

The future still beckons India. Significant progress has been made on the quest. Much work remains to be done.

As an Indian American, I am confident that India is up to this task to become a standard setter for democracy to the world because of what I have witnessed in my own life and life time.

Happy Republic Day, India.

(Frank Islam is an entrepreneur, civic and thought leader based in the Washington DC area. He can be contacted at ffislam@verizon.net)

Republic Day Message to fellow Indians

I am proud of the pluralistic ethos of my motherland, India and my homeland, America. It is a pleasure to call both the nations, “God’s own countries.” Let me explain why, and make a few suggestions that you can act upon as an individual to sustain the pluralistic ethos of India. Let’s do our bit in restoring dharma, the righteous living.

 
Happy Republic Day - click the image

Our nations, Democratic Republic of India and the United States of America are microcosmic representations of the universe we inhabit. We are blessed geographically with a range of topography from deserts to fertile lands, from mountains to the shining sea and the flat lands to valleys. Seasons wise, we enjoy all the four full seasons – winter, spring, summer and the fall. Indeed, we are blessed to be represented by every race, ethnicity and religion.

PLURALISTIC ETHOS

My interest as a social scientist is in sustaining the pluralistic ethos of India and America, which are threatened by a few short-sighted, but powerful rabble rousers among us.

Pluralistic ethos simply means, living our life and letting others live theirs. It is accepting the God given uniqueness to each one of us. No matter what language we speak, how we look, what we eat, drink, wear, or how we worship the creator, we will accept each other’s uniqueness as legitimate, and then respect the otherness of others. You are who you are, and I am who I am.

Hinduism talks about Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum, an idea that we are all part of one family despite our differences. Islam, Judaism and Christianity talk about having a common father and mother; Adam and Eve and we are an extended family. Sikhism blends us all under Wahe Guru and the Baha’i faith wraps all of us as many paths but one source, similarly Jainism, Buddhism, Tribalism and other traditions have richly contributed to the idea of cohesive societies.

Cohesive Societies are communities where people mind their own business, live their own lives and let others live theirs, but yet, work together as one composite unit.

Every Indian and American has a need to feel that he or she is a part of the society, rejection will certainly create problems.As an example of cohesiveness, look at our own bodies, we are made up of several items like heart, brain, kidneys, lungs, liver, anus, mouth, nose, ears etc. No part can claim that his role is the most important one. Indeed, there was a battle once when the organs were arguing about their role in normal functioning of human body. The Anus claimed that he was the most important organ in the body, the other organs laughed and ridiculed him, and to show them, he decided to assert his claim and shuts down for two days causing unbelievable misery and havoc! Frustrated with the pain, the other organs acknowledged his importance, and rightfully called him an ass hole but begged him to start functioning, so others can function normally. A cohesive society is when all of us function together for common good.

Prime Minister Modi had surprised the nation with his inclusionary statement made on November 1, 2014. As a Pluralist, I whole heartedly welcomed that statement and congratulated him for taking that step. He said, “The BJP should be like a bouquet so that every Indian felt there was a flower in it that he or she could identify with. “And, “A poor and illiterate person living in a slum should think, ‘Yes, there is a flower for me in this bouquet’.

At this precise juncture in our history, the Dalits do not feel like a flower in the bouquet. I do invoke the Prime Minister to act on his talk, and create an environment of inclusion. Unless he gets his party men to believe in what he has said, his leadership will remain a mere talk. A few rogue elements from his party are hell bent on throwing his bouquet into gutter; and his legacy is on the line.

Modi can finish his term as another promiser and talker, or become the doer. The choice is clearly his, and he alone is the driver of his legacy. All he has to do is give a 3-minute speech on each major incident like Rape, farmers Suicide, Dalit Suicide, homicide of writers, and witch-hunting for beef and murder of Akhlaq, to assure the people that he does believe in the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum, and that he will not tolerate any Indian making the life of another Indian miserable. That is all it takes for Ram’s sake. We are losing the ideal of live and let live, and PM Modi can restore it far more effectively than any one in India at this time.

As Indian Americans, most of us have cherished the values of America and have become Americanized. Being American is respecting and believing in the rights of others, and being American is to value others life liberty and pursuit of their happiness; being American is letting each faith member practice his or her faith, and build his or her place of worship; and being American is NOT drawing sadistic pleasure by denying others rights. Unfortunately, we have a few in both nations who have not imbued the great values of these nations, and it is our duty, and responsibility of each one of us to the be pracharaks of American values.

The idea of Liberty is I don’t agree with you, but I’ll fight for your rights. Yes, if we the Indian Americans can truly call ourselves Americans, we have to speak up.

Suggested actions for the organizations and individuals

We have to have the following actions in building a cohesive India, where no Indian has to live in apprehension or fear of the other, and feel included in every sphere of life.

1. Today, on this Republic Day, let India’s flag be hoisted together with fellow Indians who are Adivasis, Atheists, Bahá’ís, Bos, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Hindus, Jains, Jewish, Muslim, Sikhs, Tribal, Zoroastrians and every Indian representation. Let no Indian representation be left out. Reach out and bring them together at the Red Fort, and let them all proudly hoist our Tiranga, then go ahead and give them a hug, it will speak million words of our good intentions. It will generate the spirit of sab ka saath on a social basis.

2. The Indian American Organizations can do the same, invite Indians of all hues to come together, and celebrate the Republic Day in the spirit of India. If your heart is dirty and a sewer runs through it, the people can see through you, and not come, clean it up, they will come. I will be happy to make the calls to those who are unwilling for the sake of India.

3. Acknowledge that we see God as one, none and many; and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names, and as Indians, we should not be biased towards any one.

4. Today, proclaim that India is God’s own country, and is represented by every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture and religion. Announce that we are Adivasis, Native Americans, Atheists, Baha’is, Bos, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Hindus, and Jains, Jewish, Muslim, Pagans, Shinto, Sikhs, , Wicca, Zoroastrians and every possible grouping out there on God’s earth. We are Brown, Black, White, and Yellow and come in all the colors nature has produced us.

5. Aspire for an India that the world can emulate; and not the other way around. India is a pluralistic democracy where everyone can eat, drink, wear or believe whatever he or she wants to in his or her pursuit of happiness.

6. Announce that from this day forward, every Indian will have equal access to education, employment, housing, business loans, and entrepreneurial opportunities and if anyone is denied that opportunity, you will step up and stand up against the violators.

7. Every Indian wants justice and demands a fair treatment of every one of the 1.31 billion Indians; rich or poor, connected or not, we must come to grips with the social and community life to create an exemplary India that will become a model nation in the world. Create an Equal Opportunity Commission based on US Model. Ask not what others will do, ask yourselves, are you capable of being a good Samaritan?

PLEDGE TO ONE INDIA

You can institute a pledge that every public office holder from the Peon to the President of India and everyone in between must take and live by it. Violation should disqualify him or her from holding the public office. Let it be monitored publicly.

As Indians we can that pledge to both India and America on the Republic Day:

1. I pledge allegiance to India, one nation that stands for liberty and justice for all.
2. I pledge that I honor and treat every Indian with “full” dignity.
3. I pledge that all individuals would be treated on par.
4. I pledge that I will treat all religions with equal respect, equal access and equal treatment.
5. I pledge that I will oppose any act that treats any Indian less than me.
6. I Pledge that I will work for an India, where every individual can live with security and aspire for prosperity.
7. I pledge that I will protect, preserve and value every inch of India and every human soul in India

This would be the first step towards ensuring a just, peaceful and prosperous India that can sustain its progress and peace. If you can do it, then you can expect others to do it.
I love my India.

Jai Hind.

Mike Ghouse

Obama and India’s Premier See Mutual Benefit in Breaking the Ice

Good piece!
Mike

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/world/asia/obama-and-modi-see-mutual-benefit-in-breaking-more-ice.html?src=me

By ELLEN BARRYJAN. 22, 2015

Photo

An Indian shopkeeper offered kites with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Barack Obama in Mumbai this month.  CreditIndranil Mukherjee/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

NEW DELHI — Ever since India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, visitedPresident Obama in the fall, the word in New Delhi has been that the two men — one a former Hindu activist, the other a former law professor — had “chemistry.”

Mr. Obama broke the ice by leaving his White House staff behind to give Mr. Modi a personal 15-minute tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Soon after, Mr. Modi decided to invite Mr. Obama to Republic Day celebrations this month, becoming the first Indian leader to choose an American as his guest for the spectacular annual parade.

It is hard to say who was more taken aback: the Americans — Mr. Obama’s attendance required him to juggle the timing of the State of the Union address — or the Indians, when Mr. Obama said yes. He is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Sunday.

The emerging good will between the two leaders was not preordained. Mr. Modi came into office with a formidable piece of baggage, having been blacklisted by the United States government for nearly a decade over his handling of religious riots in Gujarat, the state he led. American diplomats’ efforts to mend fences were late and awkward, and Mr. Modi is known to hold a grudge.

What Do You Expect From Obama’s Visit to India?

The New York Times would like to hear from readers in India about what President Obama’s visit means to you.

Beneath the surface of the two leaders’ personal relationship are the shifting tectonic plates of geopolitics. With the expansion of Chinese power into the Indian Ocean, American and Indian interests in the region are gradually converging. It is difficult to say which government was more quietly gratified this month when Sri Lanka’s Beijing-aligned president lost his re-election bid, making it less likely that the island off India’s coast would eventually provide a foothold for Chinese military expansion.

And aides to Mr. Modi say the yearslong discussion of his human rights record concealed an important fact: He is, compared with nearly all of the Indian leaders who preceded him, quite pro-American.

“He was always very canny in recognizing that the United States was important for his own ambitions, and for Indian ambitions,” said Ashley Tellis, a senior associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of a new report on the two countries’ relationship. “What was missing was that connective tissue which takes what he knew in his head and translates it into action.”

The meeting between the two leaders in Washington, he said, provided that emotional turning point.

This week has brought a marathon of last-minute negotiations, mainly over issues that the United States and India have been grappling with for years.

Mr. Modi has styled himself as a detonator of roadblocks, and some headway may be made this time. A central obstacle is the sweeping liability law passed by Parliament in 2010 that froze plans for American corporations to construct nuclear power plants in India. Negotiators are also trying to finalize major defense purchases and to close gaps on exports of Indian pharmaceuticals, some of which the United States bans over patent disputes and safety concerns.

American officials, meanwhile, have pressed for India to follow China’s lead and agree to an ambitious target to limit carbon emissions, although they have played down expectations for a breakthrough. But the officials said the potential seemed to make another trip to India worthwhile, making Mr. Obama the first American president to visit twice during his tenure.

“Our hope is that the chemistry between the leaders and the personal relationship can lead to positive outcomes for our country,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser. “And so it’s worth the investment in the relationship with the country, the leader and the people of India.”

Famously reserved, Mr. Obama does not forge close relationships with other world leaders easily. But Mr. Modi has been an exception, aides said, as the two leaders found some shared experiences.

“Just the humble origins from which both of them came from and the opportunities presented to both of them” created a “certain space in which the two leaders were able to engage in these conversations,” said Philip Reiner, Mr. Obama’s top adviser on South Asia.

Video

PLAY VIDEO|1:07

Modi Meets With Obama at White House

Modi Meets With Obama at White House

In September, during his first visit to the White House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India discussed clean energy, trade and security issues with President Obama.

 Publish DateSeptember 30, 2014. Photo by Doug Mills/The New York Times.

They now stand at very different points, one man confronting the question of how he will stand in history and the other enjoying international celebrity after years of harsh criticism from the West. Mr. Modi, in particular, has given careful thought to the symbolic takeaway of the visit for each leader.

“Go for the big guy himself, and his international rehabilitation is complete,” said Ashok Malik, a columnist who advised Mr. Modi’s campaign. “What does Obama get out of it? He needs a legacy like nobody’s business.”

Since last February, when the United States ambassador to India at the time, Nancy J. Powell, ended America’s nine-year period of not meeting with Mr. Modi and held a chilly meeting with him, a series of developments has warmed the atmosphere.

A frustrating trade dispute was resolved. Mr. Modi appointed two senior advisers to his government who had been living in the United States for years. India’s Ministry of External Affairs distanced itself from a diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, who was arrested in New York last year over her treatment of her maid, providing a rallying cry for anti-American sentiment in India. And Indian security officials were delighted when the F.B.I. openedan investigation into a former American diplomat, Robin L. Raphel, who they long said was influencing American policy in Pakistan’s favor.

One reason for a closer embrace of Washington by New Delhi is that the members of the new political elite around Mr. Modi have far deeper ties to the United States than their predecessors, from the left-leaning and long-dominant Indian National Congress party.

Many of Mr. Modi’s supporters are Gujarati businessmen who have prospered in the United States and preach the successful immigrants’ gospel of free enterprise. In the 1990s, as a campaigner for a Hindu nationalist organization, Mr. Modi spent months traveling in the United States, and aides say he avidly studied the country.

Although most Indians have a positive view of the United States, according to a Pew Research Center poll taken last year, that enthusiasm has never penetrated into India’s government — in particular its defense establishment. The roots of this are deep: The United States has sold advanced weaponry to Pakistan and China, two neighbors which India has gone to war with, and, after India conducted nuclear tests, imposed sanctions on the Indian military.

That this gap persists will be demonstrated on Monday, when Mr. Obama is to stand beside Mr. Modi at the Republic Day parade for an extensive display of Indian military hardware, much of it supplied by Russia. He will also be reminded of India’s pressing need for investment in infrastructure, an area where the United States cannot begin to compete with China and its vast, state-controlled reserves of foreign currency.

Indeed, the most important message from next week’s meeting could end up being a more subtle one: that the relationship is turning, as slowly as an oil tanker, toward a closer, more predictable long-term alignment.

Richard M. Rossow, an expert on Indian-American relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the president’s decision to return to India so soon after meeting Mr. Modi was the best indication that the two men had sized each other up and wanted to move forward.

“Are they buddy-buddy?” he added. “That’s for them to tell you about. But more importantly for the president of the United States, he sees a counterpart that will actually try to deliver on things that are promised in those meetings. And so I think that is probably the best way that they can show friendship