Since the change of power in the US is sure to lead to many changes in their policies, the whole world is keen on the updates. The policy changes in the US polity are sure to affect almost any country, either directly or indirectly. The diplomats and the immigrants from India are equally interested in speculating the prospects of Kamala Harris, a lady of Indian origin and Joe Biden honouring responsible chairs at the White House, after a long and indecisive period.

Undoubtedly, the US will always be an ally of India, thanks to its geographically strategical coordinates and politically and economically important man-power, no matter which party comes to power in the US or in India. All American presidents have kept a very healthy relationship with India. For the US, it is not a matter of camaraderie but an issue of its vested and invested interests. As Joe Biden ascends as the president, the US-India relationship is sure to soar. The US intervention in Iran-India relationship will be lessened and cooperation in defence sector will be beefed up, says Rick Rosso, advisor to The Centre for Strategic and International Studies' Think Tank of the US External Affairs Ministry. Statements by Biden during his presidential campaigns also raised much hope for India. One such statement was his promise that 1.1 million US immigrants, half of whom have no legal papers, will be given US citizenship. He also mentioned a plan to give citizenship to 1,25,000 immigrants. Indian immigrants also find it heart-warming that the new regime will consider family based immigration and integration of families as the guiding principles in granting visas and citizenship

The Democratic and the Republican Governments which had been in power for the last 20 years had given India its deserving stature and due consideration. Clinton, Obama, Bush and Trump maintained a very cordial relationship with both the congress and the BJP governments. It cannot be denied that the relationship between Narendra Modi, the present Indian prime minister and Donald Trump, the ex-president of the US had reached a personal note too. The world witnessed it in the 2019 Houston program called Howdy Modi. At the same time, Modi has welcomed the new mandate of the US voters and rang up Biden to congratulate him on his success.

No doubt that the cooperation in the India-Pacific area between India and the US, the accordance in strategic and economic issues, the cooperation among the tetra-nations namely Japan, the US, Australia and India will be kept alive by the new regime. It is also detrimental for the US to have a good relationship with India for it to effectively check the self-righteous behaviour and actions of China in several core sectors, including the global economy. Moreover, the US is now quite aware of how much the four-million strong Indian population in the US can influence an election.

It is of crucial significance for the Indians, especially for those in the IT sector, what stand the Joe Biden- Kamala Harris duo might take in awarding H1B job visas to the immigrants. Since the Democrats are famed to have a more liberal policy in immigration policies, let us hope that their attitude in H1B visa matters will be a desirable one for all.

Indians are America's chosen Asians as of now. The present indication is that when power finally changes hands in 2021 January, the US-India relationship will continue to be a healthy one and thaw the ice in more bilateral issues.