{"id":17588,"date":"2020-02-22T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-22T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/answers\/?p=17588"},"modified":"2021-01-21T07:35:30","modified_gmt":"2021-01-21T11:35:30","slug":"us-india-bilateral-relationship-in-the-backdrop-us-president-donald-trumps-upcoming-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/answers\/government\/us-india-bilateral-relationship-in-the-backdrop-us-president-donald-trumps-upcoming-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump in India – A Review and Commentary on India – US Relations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\"Map<\/a>
Map depicting itinerary of upcoming two-day visit of US President Donald Trump to India<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The upcoming two-day visit (February 24 and 25, 2020) of the US President Donald Trump in India is reportedly going to be a historical event, and it is expected to catapult the US-India strategic partnership to a new level. Popularly tagged Trump in India, this visit brings to spotlight US and India relations.
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It is going to be the first visit of Donald Trump to India after assuming office in 2017. More importantly, it is going to be Trump\u2019s first overseas tour after his Senate acquittal in his impeachment trial. The Ministry of External Affairs\u2019 spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar, has said that India is eagerly waiting for the US President Donald Trump\u2019s visit as that will strengthen India\u2019s global strategic ties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reports say that the US President Trump and the First Lady Melania Trump will first visit Gujarat\u2019s Ahmedabad, followed by Uttar Pradesh\u2019s Agra. Reports say that the \u2018Namaste Trump\u2019 event in Gujarat\u2019s Ahmedabad will be of a similar zeal, gala, and grandeur as the \u2018Howdy Modi\u2019 event held in Houston in September 2019. The couple will then travel to Delhi in the evening for official reception and bilateral talks.<\/span><\/p>\n

US and India\u2019s Official Statements on Trump\u2019s Visit to India<\/h2>\n

White House Statement<\/h3>\n

In a statement earlier this month, the White House had\u00a0<\/span>announced the travel plan<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of the US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump to\u00a0<\/span>New Delhi and Ahmedabad<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with particular emphasis on visiting \u201cPrime Minister Modi\u2019s home state of Gujarat.\u201d This is the first time that a US President is visiting Gujarat directly on tour.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Indian Statement<\/h3>\n

After the White House\u2019s announcement, the\u00a0<\/span>Indian Ministry of External Affairs promptly confirmed<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the visit with a statement saying: \u201cThe global strategic partnership between India and the US is based on trust, shared values, mutual respect, and understanding.\u201d The Indian statement went on to say that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, the relationship has further evolved in all areas, including \u201ctrade, defense, counter-terrorism, energy, coordination on regional and global issues as well as people-to-people ties.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How is the US looking at President Donald Trump\u2019s visit to India?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, has recently acknowledged that the close partnership between the two countries is growing stronger day by day, and the relationship is going to be even warmer as \u201cModi hosts Trump later this month.\u201d Alice also said that India is at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region and increasingly becoming prominent in the global stage. That\u2019s why the US is looking\u00a0<\/span>\u201cforward to partnering with India at every step of the way.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Will there be a Trade Deal between India and the US?<\/h2>\n

Though everyone expected the finalization of a trade deal between the United States and India, US President Donald Trump has downplayed the expectation of such a deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump said that the US is going to have a very big trade deal with India later but not during his India visit. In his own words: \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019ll be done before the election, but we\u2019ll have a very big deal with India.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0What are the Pain-Points in the US-India Relationship?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Many experts have started questioning whether the Trump administration\u2019s insistence\u00a0<\/span>on lessening trade deficit and negotiating trade demands is jeopardizing the broader Indo-US strategic bilateral partnership<\/span><\/em><\/strong>, which has been built over the last 20 years.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The US administration, starting with George W. Bush and continuing under Barack Obama, has stressed on the need for a strategic partnership with India mainly to counter the growing influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region. However,\u00a0<\/span>Trump is browbeating publicly over India\u2019s price issues<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0related to walnuts, Harley-Davidsons, and many other trifle matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>main problem of the US administration regarding India<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is well summarized by an India-expert named Ashley Tellis at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ashley has zeroed down the issue to the US administration\u2019s lack of an integrated policy towards India. This lack of an integrated policy has made it open for the US national security officials to have their own views on India\u2019s position in the comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy of the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Obama administration had accelerated the improved bilateral relationship<\/span><\/em><\/strong>, mainly based upon closer defense cooperation between the two leading democracies of the world. The erstwhile Obama regime had built defense cooperation with an emphasis on naval cooperation along with increased arms sales. This notion of strategic cooperation has remained the guiding force of the strategic partnership between the US and India.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, this sense of the strategy has crossed paths with the\u00a0<\/span><\/em>current US trade officials\u2019 obsession with trade deficits<\/span><\/em><\/strong>, as guided by the US President Donald Trump\u2019s insistence on reducing the gap of trade deficit.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>In the current Trump regime, the US administration is focused on the\u00a0<\/span><\/em>narrow list of opening up the Indian market, without addressing the bigger picture of an Indo-US strategic partnership<\/span><\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Recent Steps taken by both the US and India before US President Trump\u2019s Visit<\/h2>\n

Steps taken by the US Administration:<\/span><\/h3>\n