Trump or Biden, India-America relations are on an upward trajectory
There was a time not very long ago when India was looked down upon to the extent that we had become symbolic of ‘The third world’. Every malaise and societal ill was attributed to India, sometimes rightly and at other times, owing to the stereotype associated with ‘those sort of poor nations’.
Times change. A lot of water has since flown in the Ganges, Yangtze, Amazon, Nile, Thames and every river that the readers consider important and today we are in an entirely different global setting - one in which every major country with the exception of our troublesome neighbour up north speak of their association with India fondly even as they seek to build on the ‘strong foundations’ we have with them. The mighty United States is no exception. The recent visit of their Secretaries of State and Defence are a case in point.
Old habits die hard
Joseph R. Biden and Donald J. Trump are theoretically representative of their country’s ideological bandwidth – Liberal to Conservative, Left to Right. Any study of the bilateral relations between India and the States needs to establish this as a rule of thumb. While every American administration has projected itself as a friend of India’s, things changed dramatically since Bill Clinton became the American President for the second time and the two countries have since been on a ride of their lifetimes, with hardly any bumps and a lot of speedy stretches. The Bush, Obama and Trump administrations built successively on the layers of depth and trust laid by their predecessors and that trajectory isn’t going to change no matter who the occupant of the White House is.
What's so special about India ?
There are a number of reasons for this conviction of mine. First off - the contribution of India and of people of Indian origin to the American society and economy. As one of the most important ethnic groups of America, Indians have carved out a unique place for themselves in corporate boardrooms, political offices, university faculties among others. Kamala Harris, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Nikki Halley and the scores of Spelling Bee winners are but a few of the prominent Indian Americans who keep the Indian flag fluttering with pride in USA. Both Messrs Trump and Biden are well aware of that.
You can count on me
Secondly, in a world that is ever so changing, India has risen as a reliable, trustworthy and economically prudent investment of American resources in a dynamic world where every country is vying with the others towards its quest to achieve global supremacy. While charting its own path towards prosperity, India has been mindful of American concerns and initiatives with a corresponding American reciprocation of the sentiment. This has led to a change from hesitant baby steps to confident strides in the progress of Indo-American partnership – a sprint that neither Trump nor Biden would want to halt.
Hindi - Cheeni Bhai Bhai. What ?
And lastly, the China factor. That India needs America in a world that is largely becoming bipolar owing to the steady rise of China is a given. That our northern neighbour is troublesome and expansionist is something every foreign strategy expert would agree on. But what largely goes unnoticed is how much USA depends on India to ward off the China threat. China is a strange society that mingles with the outside world on its own terms and yet maintains cent percent obscurity in matters it deems of significance.
As a presumed defender of free speech and personal liberty, America sees the very idea of China as anti-thesis to everything the US stands for and the only major democracy in the Chinese proximity that can stand firmly against China is India. And hence the importance of India for the States.
Times change, People change
Taking it forward from the introductory words, India was once so poorly fed that our leaders had to beg the Americans for food grains. So much so that we were termed a country with a ‘Ship to mouth’ existence. Our relation with America back then wasn’t one of ‘all weather allies’. It was that of a provider and a taker. So much for being a ‘Non Aligned Nation’.
But soon enough, a new generation of leaders realized that harking back to the past would not solve our problems. Impactful and determined action would. And this action would be required not just on the domestic front but also on a global front. India’s alliance with USA needs to be seen in that light.
To quote former American President Eisenhower - “Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him”. Trump or Biden, Indo-American relations have just taken off and a change of guard at the White House will only add more fuel to engines bursting with the promise of hope and good days.
Really very appreciable Ujjwal. Looking forward to more such post :))
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