Modi-Trump meet ensures good business for the US

They clicked with each other from the word go. The tight handshake with warm hug reflected positive body language. The short, crisp and bold joint statement with both sides laying emphasis on geo-political partnership conveyed the deepening relationship between India and the United Sates.

Modi and Trump seemed buddies when they met media after ceremonies and diplomatic parleys. They had to, as both have had ideological bonding even much before they met.

The New York Times, pointed out in this regard:

“Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump have much in common, including a history of anti-Muslim rhetoric, a nationalist focus on homegrown manufacturing, a fraught relationship with news media and electoral campaigns that benefited from the proliferation of fake news.”

NYT further said: “In Mr Modi’s case, supporters of his party circulated fake videos in 2013 of two Hindus being lynched by a Muslim mob. The videos led to rioting that killed 44 people, displaced 42,000 others and split a historical voting alliance between lower-caste Hindus and Muslims. That helped give Mr. Modi a substantial majority in the Lower House of Parliament.”

It is a clear reference to the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2014 wherein BJP politicians allegedly played a role.

Trump’s chief strategist Stephen K Bannon, according to NY times, is reported to have said that ‘’Mr Modi and Mr Trump symbolize the same nationalist passions in the world’s two largest democracies”.

And, Prime Minister Narendar Modi even made it a point to mention and thanked Trump for the American President’s covert liking for Modi even before he entered White House.

Modi, in his remarks at White House, said: “Even before he (Trump) began the campaign to be the US President, when he came to India in 2014 and was asked about me by the media, he (Trump) said very nice things about me. I will always remember through my life.”

So, the ideological chemistry worked well and Modi and Trump jelled very well too.

But no foreign trip of a leader is judged by mere body language. Every country is governed by a system that works for promoting its own country’s interests when a foreign leader visits a country.

Naturally, we need to assess what did India and US gain from each other during Modi’s trip to Washington. As far the US is concerned, Trump himself made it clear what Washington got from India when he said: “Thank you very much for ordering equipment from the US. Makes us feel very good and there’s no one who makes military equipment like US.”

Trump was referring to the Indian decision to buy 22 Sea Guardian unmanned Aerial Systems (drones) from the US. Trump was also happy to make the reference of Jet Airways’ recent decision to buy 200 aircraft from the US.

So, America got good business which, as Trump pointed out, would generate a good number of jobs for Americans too.

Trump is a businessman. His basic instinct in a deal is always to make a profitable deal with a foreign leader. He did it during his first trip to Saudi Arabia where he made deals worth nearly $300 billion, including over $100 billion of military equipment. Trump recently armtwisted Qatar to buy over $100 billion of American military hardware.

Modi obliged him with an order of 22 drones to fatten American economy and to ensure a good number of jobs for Americans.

What did India get in bargain from Modi’s trip to the US? Well, the US administration has designated known Jammu and Kashmir terrorist and Hizb chief Salahuddin as a ‘global terrorist’. Good for India. But the joint statement nowhere blames Pakistan for exporting terrorism into J&K.

Pakistan is off the hook for the Americans as far as its terror game inside Kashmir is concerned. Trump has virtually told Modi that Kashmir is your headache; we are not going to put pressure on Pakistan.

So, Modi’s trip to Washington has failed to make any impact on US-Pak relationship viz-a-viz India. Trump made it a point to declare that America and India will ‘’destroy ISIS terrorism’’, which is of not much concern to India.

Thus, all the great song and dance being made by the Indian media about India-US-on-the-same-page on terrorism is more hype than reality.

As far as geo-strategic partnership is concerned, India has moved closer to the US in containing Chinese influence in South China Sea as the two countries will be conducting joint naval excercises in the region soon.

It is too early to make any judgement in this regard. Only history will tell whether the American military hug is good for India.

In a nutshell, Modi’s trip to the US has managed to develop a rapport between Modi and Trump while the US made good business from India.

The Indian Foreign Office may have succeeded in building a media hype around the Modi-Trump meet. Frankly, there are no major spin-offs for India in this trip while the US has managed to do profitable business with India.

Modi personally might have gained from this trip but India has gained very little.