Trump’s visit to India will have huge international implications especially on this side of the Radcliffe line
KHAIRPUR: President Trump’s visit to India is important will have huge international implications especially on this side of the Radcliffe line.
The visit has economic, political and strategic dimensions for South Asia and beyond. On the economic front, President Trump seems to up the ante against India. He has made this clear even before arriving in India, when he said “there will be no trade deal with India for now”. He had already stripped India of special trade status that had given duty-free status to billions of dollars’ worth of Indian exports. India has also applied increased tariffs on American goods. This trade war would obstruct India’s ambitions of being economically hegemonic in Asia.
On the political front, Trump is expected to raise human rights issues with Prime Minister Modi. Trump administration officials insisted that the president would raise the issue with India.
India has passed a draconian citizenship, which discriminates against Muslims. If Trump raises this issue with the Indian leadership, this would spoil India’s image in the international arena. Many pundits are also suggesting another dimension to the visit — which is Trump’s domestic political compulsions. The Indian diaspora in the US is nearly 4.5 million. Trump would wish to win these votes with the help of Modi.
On strategic front, this visit is no less important. India is expected to sign various deals for purchase of defence equipment from the US. Pakistan would be keenly watching this visit as Islamabad would be expecting Trump to raise the issue of IOK. It is time for Trump to be a man of his word and fulfil the obligations of being a world leader by pressuring India to withdraw its move on Kashmir.
Adnan Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2020.
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