Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate at the time, made an unexpected offer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, the day he celebrated his 74th birthday. During his trip to the United States for the Quad Summit, Trump unilaterally said that he will meet with Prime Minister Modi. Even though the meeting did not ultimately take place, it demonstrated how close they were despite their tumultuous past.
As PM Modi became one of the first leaders to congratulate “my friend” Trump on his historic victory in the presidential polls on Wednesday, the two leaders’ affinity was evident. Images of the two leaders shaking hands during rallies in Gujarat and Texas during Trump’s first term were included with the article.
A phone contact shortly after the post was made, during which Trump informed Prime Minister Modi that “he considers him and India a true friend”. Additionally, Trump claimed that PM Modi was a “magnificent man” and that the “whole world loves” him. Trump referred to PM Modi as a “total murderer” a few weeks ago.
Political analysts quickly noted that Trump did not contact any NATO members after winning; instead, he called Prime Minister Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohd Bin Salman.
According to South Asia policy specialist Michael Kugelman, “US-India ties could experience a few bumps (primarily on the trade side) with Trump back in power, but their chemistry and political and ideological convergences will be a stabiliser.”
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF TRUMP AS PRESIDENT FOR INDIA-US TIES?
The conversation between PM Modi and Trump is viewed as a good thing, reminding us of the Republican’s first term when India-US relations flourished and their defense alliance grew stronger. Additionally, at a time when the Khalistani problem has been a source of friction in Indo-US relations, it spares India from having to deal with a relatively unknown person like Kamala Harris.
India hopes that once Trump assumes office, the US would place less emphasis on the case, as the current administration is focusing on the alleged murder conspiracy against Khalistani Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Washington and New Delhi shared positions on a number of topics under Trump and Modi.
Similar to Trump’s first term, India will look to the Republican Party for assistance in combating international terrorism and reining in enemies like Pakistan. India will be hoping that the Trump 2.0 administration will take a similar tough stance against Pakistan.
India will never forget how $300 million in aid to Pakistan was halted during the first Trump administration. Following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad, was also named a global terrorist by the US.
Furthermore, PM Modi’s assertion that “this is not an era of war” is consistent with Trump’s promise to bring about peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. In his victory address, Trump declared, “I am not going to launch wars, I am going to stop wars… for four years we had no conflicts.”
CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION AND TRADE?
A “protectionist” Trump in the White House, however, might have an effect on India’s immigration and trade policies. India has been referred to as a “major abuser” in economic relations with the United States by Trump, who made “America First” a pillar of his campaign. In response, he has pledged to impose punitive tariffs on Indian exports.
India will also be aware of how difficult it is for IT workers to obtain non-immigrant US work visas under the first Trump administration, as the H-1B visa refusal rate rose from 6% in 2016 to 24% in 2018. How India and Trump 2.0 tackle these complex challenges is yet up in the air.
