Bridging the US - South Asia divide

Two years ago, when India and Pakistan tested their budding nuclear arsenals, the world reacted with scorn, fearing that a South Asian nuclear arms race was on the way. The United States, among other countries, took a strong stance against proliferation, but the US quickly found that it lacked the diplomatic footing necessary to convince India and Pakistan to curb their nuclear aspirations. During the Cold War, the Indian Subcontinent had been all but ignored by American policymakers and presidents.