Modi-Trump Meeting in Focus Amid ‘Make in China’ Spring
Pm Narendra Modi meets US Vice President Vance in Paris Image credit X.com
India-US Relations Await Modi-Trump ‘Transactional’ Warmth
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, February 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have long lists of talking points. Modi will meet Trump at time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is battling free fall of rupee while stock market is crashing.
The two leaders will meet amid China claiming joyous celebrations of the “Chinese Springs”. Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared the world cities going red with celebrations of Spring Festival.
Modi has warmed up to the Trump administration. He blessed Vivek, son of US Vice President JD Vance, on his birthday celebrations yesterday in Paris, France. Modi’s key aides may have taken note of Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s meeting with Trump.
Modi Hopes to Elevate India-US Relations with ‘Friend Trump’
Popular ratings of Ishiba shot up by five per cent after his meeting with Trump. He now enjoys 44 per cent popular rating in Japan.
Ishiba played transactional Trump to his advantage. Agreeing to buy liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Ishiba gave strength to Trump prescription of “Drill, Baby, Drill” to “Make America Great Again”.
Trump returned the favour to Ishiba with a U-turn on plan the Japanese Nippon Steel to take control of the U.S. Steel. China felt the heartburn.
China’s Foreign Ministry summoned Akira Yokochi, chief minister of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. China lodged a protest against Ishiba-Trump Summit.
India’s former Foreign Secretary Shashank told The Raisina Hills that the Trump-Ishiba Summit is worth replicating for India. “Why not follow the Japanese and import more LNG at mutually agreed stable prices. Also seek mutual supply chain for high tech products in both our countries. Defence should be calibrated more carefully,” added Shashank.
Trump Administration Wants Ambitious Ties with India: Jaishankar
Geopolitical analyst Ravi Shankar Kapoor told The Raisina Hills that it will be prudent for Modi to align bilateral ties with “transactional” Trump. “How many Harley-Davidson bikes will sell in India? A few hundreds! They are too costly. Let them come and in bargain gain from technology boom in the US,” Kapoor said.
Trump indeed made an exception for Australia from the uniform 25 per cent tariff on imports of steel and aluminum. Exception was on grounds that Australians buy American airlines and cars. India may be buying more American airlines than any other country, for Modi to bargain with Trump.
‘Make in China’ continues to triumph over measures such as ‘Make in India’, ‘De-couple China’, and ‘Disengaging with China’. With almost $1 trillion in trade surplus and one-tenth contributed by India, Chinese President Xi Jinping has his last laugh.
Worse, China’s trade surplus is galloping on Modi’s watch. “During 2019-23, China’s trade surplus doubled with India,” India’s former foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale told Strat News Global last week. He said that India contributes almost 11 per cent in China’s global trade surplus.
Trump wants to contain China with restrictive trade measures. Japan has shown path to India. India may co0llaborate with Trump to make gains.
Michael Kugelman, foreign policy analyst, wrote in BBC that Modi-Trump meeting is an opportunity for a reset in ties. “Trump may ask Modi to make additional tariff reductions, to further chip away at a US goods and services trade deficit with India that has approached $46bn in recent years,” wrote Kugelman.
He stressed that “an obstacle could become an opportunity”. “Modi may call on Trump to enter into bilateral talks on an economic partnership accord meant to reduce tariffs on both sides,” added Kugelman.
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