New Delhi, Jan. 21: India is looking forward to its relationship with the United States under the Barack Obama administration with hope and optimism.

Even as the world is hailing the first African-American president of the United States, India is no exception.

The country and its government are hopeful that Obama''s elevation will not over emphasize the link between the situation prevailing on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi over Kashmir.

The good news for India is that Obama has declared that the war on terror during his regime is going to focus on Afghanistan-Pakistan and not Iraq, clearly supporting New Delhi's stand on rooting out terrorism.

New Delhi also feels that Obama won't overturn the apple cart in so far as the Kashmir dispute is concerned. Rather, he will continue to see it as a bilateral dispute and is unlikely to disturb the balance.

The signing of the CTBT and the NPT could be another issue dogging ties between Washington and New Delhi, though India''s stand on both issues is clearly spelled out. Washington would do well to avoid challenging or muscling New Delhi into signing these pacts.

From an economic perspective, Obama's promise to inject fresh life into the American economy is good news for India, as over 90 percent of the country's 50 billion dollar IT exports goes to the US.

China''s relations with the US are also likely to have a bearing on India-US strategic ties as manifested in last year''s nuclear deal between the two countries.

Iran would be another area of concern to India insofar as how the Obama administration deals with it. The new administration in Washington would have to be mindful about New Delhi's historic civilisational ties with Tehran, and not take unilateral aggressive steps to rein that country in over its clandestine nuclear-related activities. (ANI)