The new India-America chapter!

Like the rest of the world, India forgot its various pains as it watched the inauguration of the Biden-Harris U.S. Presidential team with a renewed interest. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become close to Obama on a one-to-one basis, which fortunately continued with Donald Trump. Modi’s aggressiveness matched with the less diplomatic and a no-nonsense Donald Trump, both of them on the same page on a crucial issue, that of keeping China under check.

The closeness between the two leaders had become a point of envy with our political opposition, who never lost any opportunity to taunt the relationship like our adversaries Pakistan and China. In the event ‘Howdy Modi,’ at the NRG Stadium in Houston, an excited Modi breaking into a loud chant “ab ki bar Trump Sarkar,’ meaning, ‘this time too it shall be Trump again.’ The overflowing stadium with Indians roared back in affirmation to a beaming Trump.  I had a bit of uneasiness; what if Trump doesn’t get re-elected? Would Biden forget the diplomatic faux pas of a foreign leader directly influencing the American voters?

Trump lost, and Biden won to lead the U.S. as its 46th President as my fears were proved right. Modi will have to recreate his image undoing his overt political allegiance to a President who left under questionable conditions and facing impeachment. 

Modi will also have to redraw an exhaustive wish list that would cover revoking the Trump era visa curbs, resumption of the Generalized System of Preferences on Indian exports costing us the U.S. $ 6 billion annually.

India would also wish an assurance against U.S. sanctions for our acquisition of the S-400 Triumf Russian missiles. Our list must also include a closer co-operation while combating the Chinese aggression at our borders and in our seas. The U.S. must secure India a seat in the United Nation’s Security Council. The U.S. must keep Pakistan under check and ensure security on our western borders, which will become restive due to Afghanistan’s American withdrawal.

It is ideal for the U.S., the oldest democracy and India, the largest democracy to join hands to help establish a new world order, a world of peace, growth and prosperity. We can only achieve our dream of a $ 5 Trillion economy with the active support of the U.S. I hope both Modi and Biden will carry our dreams forward.

Our best wishes for the 46th President of America, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., Vice President Kamala Harris and a huge team of twenty-one Indian Americans in the Presidential team. Together we shall make the world safer and secure to live.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix