Trump’s visit and after

US President Donald Trump’s much-hyped visit to India earlier this week will not only go down as a very important chapter in India-US relationship but will also remain as an interesting chapter in the political scenario of both countries for long. The seventh US President to visit India since the first by Dwight D Eisenhower in 1959, Trump has definitely strengthened the bond between the world’s two most important democracies. While Trump has himself described this as a “Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership”, the two countries also signed a $3-billion defence deal involving the purchase of advanced American military equipment, apart from renewing the joint resolve to fight terror and drug trafficking. Important to keep in mind, Trump and Modi have met five times in the last eight months. Though Trump asserted that his country enjoys a good relationship with Pakistan too, the most important takeaway from his comments, however, was his focus on India’s strategic and tactical concerns vis-a-vis China, Pakistan and Islamic terror. In his speech in Ahmedabad for instance, Trump identified the two main strategic concerns of India - its western and eastern neighbours, Pakistan and China, respectively. He also identified India’s tactical need to be a military power, so that it can deter China and take punitive action against Pakistan if there are any signs of mischief. His reference to China as a country that seeks to claim power through intimidation is perhaps the most direct statement a US President has made about Beijing on Indian soil. It highlighted the context of the US trying to draw India into a strategic alliance against China. It is also equally important to note, both in the context of India and in the global context, that the US and India are firmly united in the iron-clad resolve to defend their citizens from Islamic terrorism. He also brought in a third strategic concern for India by underlining how both countries knew the pain and turmoil caused by Islamic terrorism. But then, analysts have also clearly identified the individual political benefits the two leaders are likely to accrue out of this visit. Trump’s clever speech in Ahmedabad, for instance, not only worked as a campaign pitch for himself in light of the upcoming US presidential elections but also a vote of confidence for Modi, whom he generously complimented. Finally, Modi has one point to cheer despite the deteriorating situation in the capital: Trump very tactfully avoided questions on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.