US - China - India: Perspective of an Admiral and a Businessman

Hi All,

Last week we had opportunity to hear the views of a US admiral and now an executive William “Bill” Owens. He served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff so his opinions are important. I normally do not write about politics but sometimes it’s a different story.

He started his education in North Dakota and graduated from Naval Academy. He joined navy and reached to the post of Admiral. During this time he served as Vietnam veteran and was onboard of a nuclear submarine. After retiring from the service in 1996, he carried forward as an executive and served many boards of companies including Nortel, Teledesic and Wipro.

So – according to him, 6 most important countries US should be looking for are China, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. So Saudi is important for oil, everybody knows. Turkey has been an ally of US for long time and it has undisputable geographic location at the border of Asia and Europe. China – no need to explain as you can see most of the items in the local Wall-mart coming from China. Pakistan is an important player. If the Pak government is stable and people are in better situation, help to world terror will greatly reduce. India, marching in the information technology industry as China is manufacturing hub of the world India is service center hub.

He says, China is through with the communist walls and is going for the socialist country. Government leaders are high achievers in their fields and then they get chance to rule in the party and as a city mayor or any other position. So China is going for the Meritocracy – if you have merit you can get chance to lead. This is helping China in development of the structure. Biggest middle class of the world lives in the China but still the crack between rich - middle class and poor people is widening and it is not a good sign. Also most of the development China is experiencing is in the West part – so it is a big challenge in front of leaders to make sure this prosperity reaches to the poor from the east. He does not see Chinese new rich people have any feeling towards the poor – as they are enjoying their wealth, they do not think about their poor countrymen.

For this part he praised Indian businessmen like Azim Premji and Ratan Tata, who is trying to help their fellow countrymen to reach from poor to middle class. But he thinks that the biggest problem India is facing is still politics as you have to get so many permissions before opening a plant or company. The second important thing he mentions that India is not much progressing in the Manufacturing industries – and if you want to add jobs, manufacturing sector is the most important one…

To conclude he says it is time for US to be a great Partner and not a power as China is approaching and India is also there …