Truman's foreign trip ends

"It's not too spicy, is it?"

"No. Actually, all of this tastes really great!"

In the Pradhanmantri Bhavan (Previously Viceroy's palace), Satyankar was having lunch with Truman and his wife.

As the both Indian and American media were present, it was being used to promote Indian food and culture.

Puri, chole, matar paneer, paneer Chili, palak paneer, black rice, basmati rice, tandoori roti, chicken tikka, chicken makhni, Dosa, samosa, jalebi, Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Gulab Jamun, Sugarcane juice, etc. were served, with considerably less spices to suit their taste and low spice tolerance.

Satyankar was obviously eating with his hand, and spoon only for the sweets.

Afterall, eating with hands is much healthier and easier than the variety of utensils they use. Hands are washed before eating, but are the spoons and forks washed just before eating?

Eating with hands isn't backward and dirty. Eating with knives, spoons and forks is pretentious and dirty.

West really is pretty backward in cleanliness. They don't even have jet sprays in their toilets.

Anyway, Truman's wife was wearing a saree today during the parade, and lehenga now. Both the dresses were gifted to her, with the handmade embroidery of Bengal which was banned in Europe due to smuggling. Plus, golden jewellery including 'magnetic' earrings which don't require to have holes in the ear.

A company under TATA, 'Shakti' was established on Satyankar's request for women's clothing, jewellery and other stuff, and making the handmade embroidery a luxury item again. Even the saree was 'instant', which is not only easy to wear without anyone's help, but also only took one-two minutes to wear, and was very easy.

In the original timeline, Congress government did try to promote the handmade clothes, but their approach destroyed the entirety of India's clothing industry. Not only they made it super difficult to use machinery for normal manifacturing, but also promoted the handmade clothes as comman people's clothes with higher price.

Both types don't need to compete. They need to complement esch other.

A rich woman would be able to afford the handmade clothes, whose colour only becomes better with each wash. As they will wear it, the poor and middle class will try to copy them, and they will have the factory produced clothes, which will be of lower quality than the clothes only rich can afford.

Even Truman was gifted many expensive kurtas, but he probably found them too tacky. High class men's clothes in the majority of the world was just dull suits. Whether someone is wearing expensive or cheap, most people can't tell.

Anyway, having atleast the wives of most of the world leaders will be good promotion for Indian clothes. Which is more effective and doesn't waste much money. Afterall in any country, the leader's foreign trip gets more attention than any celebrity.

After the lunch was over, Truman and Satyankar went to the meeting room, while the Foreign minister Kiran Devi kept his wife company, which included taking her to shopping. The media followed the women, while Truman and Satyankar were inside closed doors for a secretive meeting.

"I must say, I am really enjoying myself here. If it wasn't for Korean war ongoing, I would have stayed for atleast a week."

"Hahaha! I am delighted that our hard work pleased you. So, how is the war ongoing?"

"It's pretty bad. We have become concentrated in the last southern territory. It is taking too much time and money to ship the equipments from US to Korea directly. The vehicles made in Japan are of poor quality, especially since it can't get good steel."

"Hmm... Before the war started, we did agree to export the low quality iron ores since no one was ready to. I will talk to Tata ji to shift some military grade steel export to Japan, but Japan will have to agree to import fully produced military grade steel."

"Thank you. Leave negotiating with Japan to me. In the whole world, TATA's steel has no match. Even we use it. But, would it be possible to directly import the high quality ores? The situation is very dire. As fellow capitalists, we can't let Korea fall under communist dictatorship."

"Well, I am sorry, but we can't exactly export our top quality natural resources as they are. We were forced to do so during the British Raj, and here we are. Even the low quality ore deal with Japan had us signing electrical cooperation deal, as you know.

And while I certainly know that communism is unhealthy and unnatural, and will only make everyone stuck in poverty, We are not actually against social-cooperative-capitalism. We have the intention of executing certain socialist policies, like land redistribution, universal health-care and education.

So, I wouldn't describe India as capitalist. And, we don't really care if a foreign country is communist or capitalist. Friendship and enemity based on ideology will always end in disaster.

We deal with individual countries. If the country isn't a warmonger, and doesn't intend to hurt us, we also don't have anything against it.

While we are against Communist Korea since it invaded the other half and prevented an election for unified Korea, we don't actually want to have any enemity even if the communists take over."

"So you don't care if the people of Korea will be oppressed?"

"It's not like we don't care. It's that we can't do much. Even historically speaking, India has never interfered in any foreign country's matters. India was always open to all types of people as long as they didn't hurt us. Even an African slave was able to become the king of bengal.

Indian dream is that nothing is impossible in India as long as one works smart and hard. If even Soviet Union wants to have friendship with us, we don't have any problem.

Actually, we can't become enemies with them. We are importing all our oil from them currently. If we become enemies, they can cut-off the oil and our economy completely."

"What if we export you oil? The more you depend on Soviet Union, the more it will have the opportunity to interfere in India, as it did in the election. "

"That would be good, really. But, we can't just rely on one or two sources of oil. US already relies on West Asia's oil quite a bit despite having large reserves. The dependency will only grow.

What if West Asia cuts off US's supply of oil? How will US able to export oil to us when it itself will have shortages?"

"They wouldn't. We are not the biggest military power if they can just cut-off our oil without any consequences."

"They absolutely will. You don't personally know the stubbornness and extremism of the Arabs. Why did they cut off our oil, even though they knew that we will be within their top three market in some years due to our population?

We have more muslims than them. Yet, they consider us to be Anti-muslim, just because we have a reform movement ongoing.

They have the 'Us vs Them' mindset. It's just that they hate jews more than Hindus and the new sect of Islam. If not for Israel, we would have been attacked, as CIA even informed us.

As our relationship on the world stage grows, it is entirely possible that they will stop their oil for you as well."

"You are exaggerating. They won't be afraid of the consequences?"

"They aren't exactly smart. Their religion is more important to them than their people and country. They are in constant state of war for Islam in their minds."

"...Isn't that too much of a stretch?"

"We are dealing with them since their existence. Even right now, we have many terrorist groups for Pakistan create chaos and genocides, even after we promised to ship them to UK for better life."

"...Anyway, speaking of UK, why don't try to reconcile with them? We will make sure that they will never mess with you again. It's our promise. We don't want two of our best friends fighting. We can mediate between the two parties."

Best friend?

"We don't have any problems in reconciling with them. We don't want to have enemity with a terrorist country like them. We have already shared our demands for reparations, and it doesn't consist of even a single pound. But not only they have not given any answer, but also worked against us again and again.

Free weapons and logistics to Pakistan, illegally giving Pakistan to a bunch of crooks because they were causing genocide instead of arresting them, and even killing our people, especially our scientists, who are more important than even the MPs.

And if all of this wasn't enough, they proudly crowned their queen with our diamond and jewellery. It shows how corrupt and sociopathic their character is.

We can reconcile to have a business relationship, but they need to do the job. A business deal is between two people. A one-sided business deal is slavery. I am sorry, but we won't budge on our stance."

"It's alright. I was just requested to mediate between you two. It's your and theirs mutual matter, and as a third party, it's not like we can do much. Anyway, shall we discuss about the business deals and treaties?"

"Of course."

After that, a series of negotiation happened between them.

The most important talks between them was related to nuclear energy. First, USA wanted to collaborate on the research for Thorium based reactors, but the decision was moved to a later date since India wanted to first try by itself.

Next, it was trade of Thorium and Uranium. Truman offered to give 1/10th of the weight of Uranium ore in exchange of Thorium ore, since it would need huge amount of research.

As the negotiations went, India agreed to set the price of Thorium ore to be 1/8th of Uranium ore for 10 years, and US agreed to sell hard water and other cooling agents for nuclear energy to India, which it doesn't sell to any other country than its European allies.

After the nuclear deals, US negotiated to let the American crude oil processing company which was there for 5 years and then transfer of the factory and technology with 30 years limit to not sell finished oil products internationally, to be given permission to operate. But it was quickly shot down.

As a result though, US didn't give India any discounts on the oil it will sell to match USSR's price. But nevertheless, India will now be able to get oil from US too.

Truman didn't mention anything about Iran.

"Does USA have any strategies for an alternate route for Seuz canal. With Israel in that area, it will be blocked very often."

"If there was, we would have to get many Middle Eastern countries to build inter-national railways. And..."

"Sigh. That is almost possible."

"Though we are taking initiatives to keep the Seuz canal as stable as possible."

UK has been trying to block Indian goods, but since France also owns the canal, UK hasn't been successful till now. Though it can't be said about till when France won't cooperate with UK. As India is Anti-colonial, no one knows when France will turn against India.

Indonesia and Burma have requested India to talk to Truman about the American missionaries creating chaos and separatists.

India has driven out most of the foreign missionaries, by either cancelling their visas, or they fled to Burma or Sri Lanka illegally.

India is much more stable than the two countries right now, because of nationalism, anti-british stance, economic growth, and no tolerance towards rioters and separatists. The tribes are also in coordial relationship with Indian government because of driving out the missionaries which the tribes couldn't do on their own, promising their state, and working with Pro-Indian tribals.

But Indonesia is not only fighting a war against the Dutch for its freedom, but also it is difficult for maintaining unity with the population spread across too many islands with difficult terrain.

And Burma has been unable to contain the Rohingyas, Nationalist Chinese, communists and other separatists, since many people of the army themselves have joined the separatists.

The missionaries are only making things worse across the world. And it is one of West's strategy. Create a separate Christian country, and US establishes a military base.

But right now, it wasn't time to be vocal about it, so Satyankar just delivered the letters he got from the two countries directly, claiming that he doesn't know what is in the letters, even though the two leaders have told him about it.

India bought 20 tunnel making equipments, intending to buy more from Germany and France later while making its own in the meantime. Defence against China is necessary.

There wasn't much of military deal this time, since India recently bought a lot.

Finally, Satyankar handed Truman a document, titled India Partnership Treaty.

The Treaty was mainly to maintain India's neutrality, while engaging in only trade Partnership. In this, India won't interfere in any conflict between Soviet Union and USA as long as they stay away from the Indian Subcontinent and India's Indian Ocean boders.

It said that India would be a non-ally partner to both USA and USSR. Meaning, it won't support anyone in their armed conflicts, and even serve as a neutral ground for both the countries to negotiate in case of a need.

It will also allow certain media of their countries to be shown in India and vice-versa, like movies, and animated series.

It will also for the tourists to be able to easily get visa upto one month in India.

"I will be honest, India doesn't want to get involved in the Cold War. Both USA and USSR are essential for our survival. USSR will be getting the same treaty. I really hope that we can trilaterally come to an agreement to treat India as a neutral ground.

So, we won't be joining any military alliance with either block, though joint military exercises are a different matter. I hope we can work together to finalise the treaty with trilateral negotiations."

"...Then what about supplying military grade steel to Japan?"

"That's simply trade. And it is Japan we will be supplying."

"Then... does this mean that India will even work with USSR for Nuclear energy if it is more beneficial than US?"

"We will be buying arms from both the countries. We won't jointly develop weapons for the ten years atleast.

The treaty has renewal per twenty years.

India is still new. We don't want to he dragged into conflicts.

After 20 years, things can change."

"Meaning India can become US ally after 20 years."

"It probably can, and probably can't. It will depend upon the condition at that time. But, we will only consider allying ourselves to any party if they don't force us out of our neutrality for 20 years."

"...Doesn't this mean that you are forcing neutrality? Neither USA nor USSR wouldn't want India to not be its ally. We aren't benefiting much from it."

"Of you are. Indian is in the middle of the most import important trade. No one would have to worry about wooing us for the 20 years for preferential treatment in the ocean, and even more so, you wouldn't have to worry about diplomacy.

I am sure that both countries know that it is very less likely for the Cold War to end until one country agrees defeat. Wouldn't India being neutral let people have peace of mind?

Moreover, through India, US will be able to sell its goods to even those countries who are not Pro-US.

We wouldn't have to worry about either countries attacking India. And both USA and USSR wouldn't have to worry about being involved in the messy situations with India which can lead to nuclear war since that's how important India's position is.

India isn't interested in war. It is just interested in self-defence, and business. War doesn't bring anything good."

"...I will have to discuss it in the Congress. I am convinced that this is indeed a good deal with some tweaks, but I will have to convince my country too.

Will you be free around 4th July next year?"

"I can't exactly say about my schedule about 11 months later. But, I will take out time. It's necessary afterall."

"Then US's foreign minister will be sending a formal invitation to join our Independence Day celebration next year as the Chief Guest."

"I am delighted."

Both shook their hands, and after a joint press conference about their meeting, especially the US-India and US-USSR Partnership Treaty to establish India as a neutral ground was also talked about, stating it to be discussed in the future.

As Truman and his wife left India, the Independence Day came to an end with India taking the first step towards neutrality to remain Independent.