- Someone closely following the fortunes of the India-USA relationship over the last couple of decades would have observed how successful both sides of the regimes have been in forging a strategic alliance between the two largest democracies in the world. Successive governments and leaders have ensured the alliance heads northwards without any palpable obstacles coming in the way of progression. Little wonder, the bilateral trade, on the back of steady progress made, ensured the two countries are not governed by parochial considerations. The global community wishes to tame the expansionist, intransigent, aggressive, and increasingly belligerent China. And the Indo-US partnership appeared apt to stymie Beijing’s unilateral moves.
PC: BBC
- Of course, the global community has observed with growing interest how the geopolitical and geostrategic scenario has undergone drastic changes on the back of certain realignments vis-à-vis new allies, regimes, and leadership modifications. None exemplifies the fast-evolving geopolitical scenario than the assumption of the president’s office of the USA for the second term by Donald Trump. The wide-ranging disruptions caused by his penchant for unleashing tariff wars on the global community need no further elaboration. The majority opinion of the people around the world is against the unfounded, illogical, and ill-advised import tariffs imposed on trade partners. Nonetheless, the petulant and impetuous Trump has simply pressed ahead with these measures.
PC: Current Affairs – Adda247
- Unfortunately, India is being targeted unduly for not toeing the line of the USA about opening our market for American goods. Mind you, any sovereign nation would wish to ensure domestic farmers’ interests are primarily safeguarded before allowing overseas products as an alternative option. However, Trump has simply resorted to bullying India by not only imposing a 25% tariff on our products but also sanctioning an additional 25% tariff for buying Russian oil. Moreover, some of the Trump administration officials have become increasingly vitriolic, so much so that India is being accused of fuelling the Russia-Ukraine war by buying oil. Trump wishes India to stop buying Russian oil forthwith. Here, PM Modi must be lauded for not compromising our interests.
PC: The Times of India
- The Indian leadership, led by PM Modi, has been steadfast in refusing to bow down to the mindless tariff war of Trump. India has not only refused to open its markets for certain American produce in agricultural and dairy products but also has gone about importing Russian oil even more, keeping in mind local interests. Most obviously, Trump expected India to acknowledge his role in the Operation Sindoor ceasefire after four days of intense warfare in May. Rightly, India in no uncertain terms mentioned that no third country had any role to play in the ceasefire. Not endorsing Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize also appears to have played a decisive role here. These viewpoints have riled the egotistic Trump to no end. India will not be bullied. Period.
