A bully always picks on someone he thinks cannot fight back. That is US President Donald Trump’s approach to India. He thinks the US has the advantage because the increase in tariffs will hurt India more. But there is more to Indo-US relations than just trade. As flourishing democracies, they are ‘natural allies’ that have never achieved the potential this fact represents. Even so, over the years, there has been progress in collaborative engagement as global politics and economics have evolved. Unfortunately, Donald Trump, a capitalist who made a lateral entry into politics, is not schooled in the subtleties of the relationship and is focused on extracting the most from what he feels is an advantageous trade equation.
The situation, however, is that India cannot accept his terms of trade as it doesn’t have the leeway. It will be forced to look for alternatives, be it opening up new markets, or focusing even more on a self-reliant economy. So, if Trump was seeking to negotiate, he has miscalculated. On the other hand, as is being suggested by some, if it is an egoistic thing because he was denied credit by India for ending the Indo-Pakistan ‘war’, it is crudely amateurish play. One can only wonder what major flaws exist in the present-day US system that such a person has risen to power, which is being exercised so irresponsibly.
In contrast, he has kowtowed to China, a much bigger and more adept exploiter of the weaknesses in the global economy. How will it benefit the US if India is pushed into China’s corner, instead of practicing its delicately balanced non-alignment? Trump forgets that far more influential than US economic clout is its soft power, which is manifest in Hollywood movies, TV serials, bestselling books, quality of education in its universities, etc. It is because of this that Indians have traditionally been inclined towards the US and, given the opportunity, are happy to live there.
The Indian government is also aware that tariffs are not the only kind of pressure Trump can apply. There is a vast Indian diaspora in the US that may be targeted next, like other immigrant communities that are facing the brunt of MAGA racism. India must unite and display resilience, socially and economically. The people must beware of forces at home that may play into the hands of this new form of colonialism. Not being intimidated is the first step to countering a bully!
