The city
of Ahmedabad has been witnessing hectic renovation activity for over a month gearing
up to host, “Namaste Trump” much along the lines of the “Howdy Modi” at Houston,
August last year. President Trump’s first visit to India, in his first term,
days after he is acquitted of impeachment trial by the Senate in an election
year was widely critiqued.
In the
run up to Trump’s visit, there has been an exaggerated media coverage about the
amount expended for the Namaste Modi event. A letter to Mike Pompeo by four US
senators, two democrats and two Republicans ahead of Trump’s visit to India
seeking a reassessment of CAA and abrogation of article 370 had only heightened
concerns of plausible fruitful visit. Unfazed by the collapse of a putative trade
deal and unmindful of the sceptics, who prophesised the visit to be high on optics
and low on substance, playing a role of gracious host, India extended a
spectacular welcome to President Trump.
Hyperventilating
at few discordant notes, sceptics undermined the strategic dimension of the Indo-US
relationship amidst rapidly changing world order. The ludicrous postulations from
the Congress party’s mouth piece, National Herald, “India is the only poor
and ‘shit-hole country’ Donald Trump has ever visited” conjectured their bias
and disdain towards Trump. They assiduously portrayed Trump’s visit as purely electoral
campaigning exercise. While an Indian outreach in the election year can have inherent
political connotations but the incredulous, unwelcoming, op-Ed reflected their vociferous
hatred towards Trump and their disdain for visit which has immense strategic significance.
Accepting
Indian Prime Minister’s invitation, Trump embarked on a 36-hour visit to India
and landed in Ahmedabad today morning. Indian government left no stone unturned
in offering a phenomenal welcome to President Trump. As expected, the visit which
was high in optics, turned into a moment of celebration with India displaying
its vibrant diversity in full splendour. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
received Trump at the Ahmedabad airport. After the signature bear hug and
thumping handshakes, the leaders kicked off a 22km-long road show. Along the
entire stretch nearly 50 stages were erected where artistes from different
parts of India performed in their traditional attire. Leaders made first stop over at the Sabarmati
Ashram, where Modi explained the crucial role played by Mahatma Gandhi in India’s
Freedom Struggle. Overwhelmed by the warm reception, a delighted Trump left a
message in the visitor’s book- “To my great friend Prime Minister Modi-
Thank you for this wonderful visit”.
Visibly
delighted by a sea of humanity at the Motera Stadium, Trump who has yearning
for the crowds greeted them with, “Namaste” and thanked them for a “spectacular
welcome” and “remarkable hospitality”. Referring to Modi as an “exceptional
leader, a great champion of India… and tremendously successful leader”.
Trump hailed Modi’s landslide electoral victory and extolled him “living proof
of hard work and devotion”. Trumps’ endorsement of Modi’s attributes at a
time when USCIRF has been seeking sanctions against India is indeed, an aspect
to reckon with.
Needless
to say, personal chemistry between both the leaders has been a driving force
for the substantial progress in Indo-US strategic cooperation under Trump’s
administration. Like Modi, Trump is master of the job and is known to pass
orders. Mutual admiration of the leaders in the long term will this bode well
for Indo-US relationship as well.
While it
can be argued that India played well to Trump’s fascination for crowds to win
his appreciation, on the contrary, Trump through his earnest enumeration of India’s
tale of astounding progress won the hearts of Indians. Unlike his typical oratory which is replete
of jarred notes, glitches and goof-ups, Trump stumped the crowds by quoting relevant
numbers. His appreciation of India’s fervent attempts to scale the economic
trajectory seemed genuine. He reminded that in the past seven decades, India
has become an economic giant and by the turn of the millennium, Indian economy
increased six times. Trump’s rather pragmatic account of India’s economic
landscape at a time, it is referred to as a “flagging economy” should bring
cheer to investors who are rather despondent.
The
unmissable euphemism associated with Indo-US engagement connotating as coming
together of “the largest and the oldest democracies” is not lost on
Trump. Hailing India as “democratic,
peaceful, break-free and tolerant country”, Trump rendered virulent anti-India
propaganda of infamously referring to elected Indian government as “fascist,
Nazi regime” irrelevant. Contrasting India’s unrivalled accomplishments to
the coercion, aggression and intimidation of countries (veiled dig at China) which
is a bane in the free world he underscored the importance of free society which
drives innovation and creativity. Paying ode to India as hub of genius and
creativity, Trump invoked the Bollywood, block blusters- Sholay and DDLJ. Given
Indians penchant for Cricket he spoke of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Reciprocating
India’s love he mentioned about India’s festivals- Diwali, Holi, tallest statue
of Sardar Vallabhai Patel and even Swami Vivekananda. Trump eloquently touched
aspects of shared values, common interests, held ode to the splendour of India’s
cultural heritage.
Pledging
a “good and great trade deal”, Trump effortlessly segued into the
economic and strategic aspects of the Indo-US ties. Unlike major World leaders
who are reluctant to call a “spade a spade”, Trump spoke of threat from “radical
Islamic terror” and “militants operating from inside Pakistani borders”
but resisted from the temptation to offer to mediate Kashmir issue. With a deal
with Afghan Taliban around the corner, Trump stopped short of going ballistic
on Pakistan but offered cooperation on counter terror cooperation to extricate
terror. Hinting at the main agenda of bilateral talks, Trump asserted, “together
we will defend our sovereignty, security and protect a Free and Open
Indo-Pacific for our children and many generations to come”. Claiming the credit
for the decimation of the ISIS caliphate and killing of its founder and Ieader,
Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, affirmed the might of American military forces. By conceding
that every country has the historic right to deny permission and admission to elements
that threaten the security and peace of the country, Trump has refused to
interfere in India’s internal issues (here CAA). He added, “every nation has
right to secure and controlled borders”. America’s willingness to sell sophisticated
defence technologies including armed and unarmed drones, air defence missile
systems and the largest trilateral exercises- “TigerTriumph” demonstrate that
Indo-US relations are growing from strength to strength.
Indo-US
trade has doubled in the last ten years and holds tremendous potential for growth.
America is India’s largest trade market. A booming American economy will be in
the best interest of India. Negotiations are in process for sealing a trade
deal, USTR (US Trade Representative) issued executive order classifying India
as a “developed nation” making India ineligible for GSP (Generalised System
of Preferences). Certain sectors will be hard hit. No doubt, a trade deal will
be a fantastic idea. But Trump has postponed it to November after his re-election.
Trump’s
cultural overtures, and attempts to consolidate people to people connect heaping
praise on the 4 million Indian Diaspora,-“ they are the titans of business,
the biggest, the best pioneers of science, master of art, and innovation of
technology like few people have been able to see no matter where you go
anywhere in the universe” have certainly made a mark on Indian masses. He
touched all the right cords and made every attempt to appreciate the essence of
India and even acknowledged it spiritual pre-eminence.
Strategically
Trump’s visit is shot in arm for India. It is a message to neighbours Pakistan-which
seeks hyphenation and China for raking up discordant notes in the Indo-US relations.
Despite a major revamp in the World order, America is a superpower and
continues to occupy a pivotal position on global platform. Washington’s renewed
trust in India will bode well for strengthening strategic partnership with
like-minded countries like Japan, Australia, France and New Zealand. With every
passing year, India has been expanding the matrix of cooperation. By acknowledging
India’s civilisational values, vibrancy of diversity, Trump had indeed, strengthened
the bonds of friendship. By reposing trust, Trump has cemented the partnership which
is pivoted on the strength of shared values, ideas and principles.
Above
all, by not getting drawn by the cacophony of the rancorous propaganda of
domestic opposition which is seeking active advocates in foreign lands, Trump
has earned the respect of India which is attempting to correct historical wrongs
that have been an affront on the social, political, economic and strategic aspirations
of the country.
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