SPECIAL EDITORIAL : Is Modi the "Trump" Card ?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently concluded his visits to France and the United States and has returned to India. As India continues its march towards becoming a global power, Modi’s foreign trips and the conclusions drawn from them will influence global diplomacy, international relations, and political equations in the times to come. Modi’s visit to the United States is significant, as America itself is currently striving to safeguard its interests, causing global relations to be disrupted. The primary driver of this shift is the extreme ambition of Donald Trump, with the United States advancing in line with the saying, “Attack is the best form of self-defense.” Whether it was Trump’s repeated comments about merging Canada with the United States, his intention to purchase Greenland, his push to end the ‘wasteful expenditures’ of USAID and thereby shackle the ‘Deep State’, or even changes in business partnerships — all of these shifts are taking place across various domains. Trump explicitly stated, “Countries that impose taxes on business with America, they will face reciprocal tariffs from America.” This was evident during the meeting between Modi and Trump. Just before Modi’s meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, Trump had signed a global agreement related to this issue, signaling an attempt by the United States to exert pressure on India. Recognizing Modi’s diplomatic acumen, Trump effectively timed his moves. The meeting concluded with a decision to resolve trade tariffs through cooperation and diplomatic negotiation.

India’s Strategy

In his 2020 book The Indian Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar writes, “India needs to build strong relations with the United States, handle China, cultivate new opportunities in Europe, reassure Russia, revitalize ties with Japan, and, while maintaining relations with neighbouring countries, strengthen partnerships with other nations that can cooperate with India.” This strategy came to the fore during the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The world not only witnessed this but also praised India’s foreign policy. During the G20 summit in Delhi in September 2023, due to India’s firm stance, the African Union from the Global South was granted membership in the G20. India’s inclusive diplomacy was so remarkable that global leaders and Western media were compelled to acknowledge it. India managed its bilateral relations with other nations without letting the positive or negative relations between those countries and the West influence India’s diplomatic approach. Even though Trump was out of power during much of this period, he and his think tank were closely observing these developments. Once back in power, Trump quickly began changing US policies at a speed that astonished the world.

India’s Unshakable Position

Trump is well aware that India stands at a critical juncture on the global political stage — a position that no other nation can occupy at present. To fulfil its own ambitions, America realizes that it must align itself with India. China and Russia are currently America’s primary adversaries, and to counter them, the US believes it must bring India closer, as India is poised to become the third-largest economy in a few years. While India has consistently achieved diplomatic successes in recent years, the increasing ambition of the world’s most powerful person will test India’s diplomatic capabilities over the next four years.

America’s Move

In a multipolar world, where global power is no longer concentrated in one or two countries but is distributed globally, India is working towards building strong relations with all nations. During Modi’s visit to the US, Trump attempted to bring India into America’s fold, praising Modi with remarks such as “You’re great” and “When it comes to negotiations, Modi is much better than me.” America signed a new deal with India to address the trade deficit by selling oil and gas, positioning the US to become India’s largest supplier of these resources, surpassing Russia. This move directly challenges Russia, and as per Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s 2024 book Why India Matters, “It will prompt India to rebalance its relations with Russia !” We can expect significant movements in this direction in the near future.

Modi’s US visit also made headlines for another reason. The Prime Minister stated, “India is striving to become a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India) by 2047, and in line with Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again (MAGA),’ India is moving towards ‘MIGA’ — Make India Great Again.” He further emphasized that both countries could achieve mutual prosperity through a ‘MEGA’ partnership. Making such a statement is not a trivial matter. Given India’s progress in recent years, it is clear that the country is truly on the path to greatness. It is time to reflect on whether America itself has been brought into India’s fold. The agreement to double trade by 2030 to $500 billion (43 lakh crore rupees) shows that Modi is indeed the ‘Trump card’ in the global game!