South Asia Monitor: The Congress Comeback: Unexpected Results of the Indian Election - June 01, 2009

Manmohan Singh has returned to the prime ministership at the head of a new government with a robust coalition. His party, the Indian National Congress, improved its showing in many parts of the country; their opponents in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), internally divided and unimpressively led, lost seats nearly everywhere they contested. Look for a cautious approach to economic reform and Pakistan policy. In relations with the United States, the absence of the Communist parties from the governing majority should open the way to finishing the unfinished business of implementing the nuclear deal, and beyond that to expanding the new U.S.-India partnership.