As expected, Prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US has been a great success, something also acknowledged by the senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. The meeting was dubbed as “bromance” in some media outlets as the two leaders have always displayed a strong liking for each other. In his previous term, Trump had organized the Howdy Modi event in Houston, billed as one of the largest ever receptions of a foreign leader in the US. And in his spectacular second turn, PM Modi is one of the select foreign leaders, Trump has met during the first month of his office. And the summit lived up to its hype. The US president announced US military sales to India, including F-35 jets, which will give a major boost to India’s defence capabilities. Both sides agreed to negotiate a trade deal and finalise a new defence framework. What is more, Trump also approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a Chicago businessman accused of playing a role in the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai.
However, the meeting did confront India also with some challenges: Trump also announced oil and gas exports to India to narrow the trade deficit. And what is more, the issue of mutual tariffs is yet to be resolved but after the visit, India expects the US to reconsider the decision. Overall, the visit has worked to India’s advantage. In his second term, the Trump administration is expected to further deepen the relationship. Ever since the former US president Bill Clinton’s visit to India in 2000, when the US decisively reached out to India, the relations between the two countries have moved to the next level. Economy apart, their cooperation across a broad array of geo-political issues has intensified. Besides, regional dynamics have changed fast over the past two decades. The US-Pakistan ties, on the other hand, have lost their old raison d’etre. China’s rise and expanding clout together with India’s importance as a regional counterweight has redrawn the US priorities in the region. In the ongoing gradual shift from a unipolar to a bi-polar world, India is asserting itself as a global and regional power, and the established great powers can’t ignore this fact.
It is true that Trump has been a disruptive influence in global affairs. In some aspects America under him has drastically departed from its long standing policies on rules-based world order. For example on the climate deal that the US unilaterally chose to reject under him, or for that matter, the global health. But as the summit with PM Modi will have us believe, the US under Trump has shown a distinct partiality towards India. Overall, PM Modi’s visit has strengthened India-US ties, and while challenges remain, the growing cooperation between the two nations points to a mutually beneficial partnership in the next four years.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
