Deepak Dwivedi
Donald Trump’s takeover of the US presidency for the second term has acquired a special significance in the backdrop of fast-changing global geopolitics amidst Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.
It was natural, therefore, that top leaders of the US allies and adversaries attended the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda on January 20. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was seated in the front row of the invitees as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy, carried a letter from the PM to Trump.
PM Modi took to X to congratulate President Trump, stating that he looked forward “to working closely together once again”. Beyond symbolism, the two leaders share common values and goals. While Trump has promised to herald a “Golden era for America”, PM Modi has set his eyes on Viksit Bharat by 2027.
Both agree that this is not the era of war and have thrown their weight on an early negotiated settlement of ongoing global conflicts.
Trade and immigration issues might call for nuanced diplomatic handling in the backdrop of Trump’s avowed action plan, but these can be done by the two mature democracies. For instance, Jaishankar has already said that India is collaborating with the Trump administration to repatriate 18,000 illegal migrants living in the US, saying the identities of those individuals have to be verified.
On major areas touching IndiaUS Strategic Partnership, positive signs are visible in the early days of Trump’s second term. Jaishankar has held discussions with top US officials on ways to increase collaboration in critical sectors like defence, emerging technologies, energy and maintaining a free and open IndoPacific.
In a statement, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has said that shared commitment between the US and India will drive the relationship forward under Trump 2.0, highlighting mutual interests in tackling global challenges and enhancing regional stability.
With Trump at the helm, the first ministerial of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia, has served a warning to China against changing the status quo in the IndoPacific via coercive actions. Media reports from Washington confirmed that the idea of Trump participating in the next Quad Summit in India in a few moths was being discussed in the White House.
As Jaishankar observed during his Washington visit, Trump’s return to the White House has brought the world on the cusp of a new era where the US departs from an established tradition of foreign policy and focuses on its own interests.
This is in tune with India’s foreign policy stance. For starters, Trump’s first foreign policy act is aimed at China and keeping the Indo-Pacific secure. As such, the next four years hold tremendous promise for IndoUS ties, where both the leaders can take the bilateral relationship forward.
