LONDON — U.S. President Barack Obama made a splash in India recently when he indicated that the United States would back India's bid for a permanent seat on an expanded United Nations Security Council.

It was a major policy shift that India has long clamored for and Washington has been reluctant to offer. By suggesting that he looks "forward to a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member," he warmed the hearts of Indian policymakers who have long viewed American political support as a litmus test of the burgeoning U.S.-India partnership.

It was suggested before the visit that the U.S. president might announce America's support for a permanent Indian council seat. But publicly the Obama administration had argued that while it supported India's rise, America's explicit support would be difficult to come by. Yet during the visit to India, Obama made a leap of faith and talked up U.S.-India ties to a new high.