With the big exception of India, all the Brics economies are slowing. For the first time since China’s cultural revolution, India will outgrow its Himalayan neighbour next year, according to the International Monetary Fund. On Sunday, Barack Obama became the first US president to visit India twice and the first to be invited as chief guest to itsRepublic Day parade. There is little downside to his India bet and a long-term upside. America’s ability to adjust to a multipolar world will be shaped by whether New Delhi and Washington get along. The fact that Mr Obama has hit it off with Narendra Modi — his political opposite in many ways — speaks volumes.
所有金磚國家(Brics)的經濟都在放緩，只有印度是一個明顯的例外。根據國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)的預測，印度經濟增速將在明年超過喜馬拉雅山另一側的中國，這將是自中國「文化大革命」以來的首次。上週日，美國總統巴拉克•歐巴馬(Barack Obama)成爲首位兩次訪問印度的美國總統，以及首位作爲主賓出席印度「共和國日」慶典的美國總統。歐巴馬押注印度沒什麼壞處，長期而言還有很大好處。新德里和華盛頓能否友好相處，將影響美國適應多極世界的能力。歐巴馬與印度總理納倫德拉•莫迪(Narendra Modi)關係融洽的事實很能說明問題——從許多方面來說，莫迪的政治觀點與歐巴馬相左。