Trump Aala Re: Grand Indo US Blitzkrieg Unfolds
- Arijit Bose
- Mar 29, 2020
- 3 min read
US President Donald Trump after returning to the States from the two day trip to India made it widely clear that he had a fruitful time in India. He in a public press conference said that he had a good time with the Indian premier Narendra Modi. “We talked about everything, far more than just borders,” said Donald Trump.
Trump on his trip to India was accompanied by wife Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner on February 24.
Over a span of 36 hours, India saw President Trump participate in engagements including a roadshow, a Taj Mahal visit and engaging with crowds at the ”Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad’s Motera stadium, among others.
As India got trumped by the presence of the international leader, India and the US further strengthened defence cooperation with a nod to an agreement under which New Delhi gets USD 3 billion of advanced military equipment that includes Apache and MH-60 Romeo helicopters. One of the biggest successes of US President Donald Trump’s visit is the agreement between American Energy company Exxon Mobil Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). India hence could help America deliver gas through containers in cities without pipeline.
People in thousands turned up on the streets of the Gujarat city where Trump’s cavalcade zipped past. In Ahmedabad, US President Donald Trump welcomed Melania Trump wearing a cotton thread. The American President paid a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by offering a cotton garland.
US President Donald Trump, Melania Trump also operated a spinning wheel at the Sabarmati Ashram seen as a universal message of peace or Ahimsa. Notably Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself explained this to him and also cut yarn.
Trump was part of the inauguration of the world’s largest cricket stadium in presence of over 100,000 people, with preparations costing over $13m (£10m). PM Modi named Donald Trump 22 times in his 21-minute speech here. PM Narendra Modi’s program in America was also overshadowed. In which he mentioned this word 29 times.
Trump came to India at times when India has been facing the double headed demon of economic strain and unemployment.
Experts though continue to point that despite the hoopla, the Indian subcontinent has not figured high in Trump’s “America First” agenda. His visit also came just before America gears up for its voting for the next Presidential election. About 4.5 million Indian origin voters live in the US. By trends in America the Democrats have had the edge in the Indian context. In September, he appeared next to Modi at a massive event in Houston, Texas named “Howdy Modi”.
The US-India bilateral trade stands at $160bn. The deal however fell through given it has faded for weeks as US expressed concerns over matters like rising tariffs, price controls and India’s positions in e-commerce. Immigration and visa regime are other bottlenecks.
Trump and Modi reportedly are on the same page when it comes to being tough on China which revolve around the Belt and Road Initiative, access to South China Sea, and the untrustworthiness of its vendors. Meanwhile as Trump came to India, the wall around slums grabbed major headlines.
Trump arrived in Agra from Ahmedabad with the family. He took a half-kilometer walk to the Taj Mahal campus with his wife Melania and conducted a photo session. Trump wrote in the visitor’s book – the building is a symbol of India’s rich culture. Trump reportedly was intrigued by the real life story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan.
A special peacock dance had also been choreographed at Agra for the US premier. Trump called the enthusiasm of the artists a good omen. Even Daughter Evanka cheered.
To highlight Trump’s journey, 3000 artists introduced him to Indian art and culture in 21 places en route from the airport to the Taj Mahal. Several walls in the taj city were painted to tell the story of the Modi – Trump bonhomie. About 10,000 troops of police and paramilitary forces were deployed on the 14-kilometer route from the airport to the Taj Mahal. 30 additional CCTV cameras were installed in those places. A control room was also created to monitor the entire activity. 75 homes and buildings were identified on their way to protect the US president. Now all those homes, shops and hotels were tagged in Google Geo. This has made it easier for local authorities to monitor.
Comments