Presidential elections in the United States are due in the month of November 2020. If everything goes as per the schedule and elections take place this year, it would be the most keenly fought and interesting to watch elections till date in American history.
While the incumbent President Mr Donald Trump is making a serious bid to get post a second consecutive victory, the challenges posed before him are manifold; from the massive threat of economic recession caused by the Corona pandemic to the shriller, divisive campaigning within US by the opposition parties and leaders who are trying to create rifts in the American society to discredit Trump’s agenda.
In this context, it is very essential to understand why the Indian Americans must vote for Trump and not otherwise in order to secure their own well being and safeguard their interests.
Convergence of Interests:
While India is the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy, America is the world’s oldest democracy. Hence it is a natural converge of interest in terms of our political structures, both being adherents and proponents of democracy.
Indo US relations have reached a level of maturity and solidarity witnessed never before. It has been possible primarily on account of similarity of political cultures and leaders of both countries sharing the same ideological page.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and US Prez Donald Trump share excellent personal camaraderie and this has been the major plank for the growing bonhomie between the two largest democracies of the globe. Indo US collaboration on diplomatic platforms and multilateral forums have acquired new dimensions and positives in the last four years.
Apart from economic ties, what matters the most is the remarkable convergence of interests on the ideological front. This is a rare moment in history where both India and US are coming closer to each other not due to obvert political and economic factors (which anyways always remain the dominant variables in determining foreign policy of any country) but also on the fact that both the countries intend and are committed to navigate their ideological agendas without losing sight of national interests. It is this ‘ideological proximity’ which will shape the contours of Indo US relations in the years to come.
Nationalism and Hindutva:
Both Modi and Trump belong to the same ideological school of thought, ie. nationalism. Both of them have passionately invoked the ideology of nationalism to win over their political constituencies at home.
At the international level too, both are working closely with each other by promoting the nascent ideology of nationalism to attain their mutual objectives. Whenever India has expressed its desire to get a permanent membership in UNSC, it is Trump led US which has promptly responded in affirmative backing India’s bid for UN’s permanent membership.
A nationalist leader would always want to help a fellow nationalist leader and seek better cooperation and coordination to strengthen their ties. Even scholars of International Relations accept the fact that two democracies never wage wars or fight against each other.
Another important element which is a significant driver in Indo US relations is BJP’s politics of Hindu nationalism. Had there been a Democrat in the chair of Whitehouse, the Hindutva factor would have been a major irritant in the Indo US elections.
The Democrats are known to maintain a centre left political position bearing close resemblance to Indian opposition parties like Congress. India took some very daredevil decisions with regard to its domestic politics last year. Whether it was the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir or the introduction of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), it has ruffled many feathers in the leftist ecosystem within the country and outside. These legislations could have definitely proved to be a recipe of conflict for Indian foreign policy if a Republican would not have been at the helm of affairs in Washington DC.
But the US simply reiterated that these are India’s ‘’internal matters’’ and it doesn’t wish to intervene. This is no mean or insignificant development and is a powerful pointer on how Indo US proximity has risen to such levels. Similarly, when Trump visited India to attend the ‘Namastey Trump’ event in Ahmedabad in February 2020, he once again reaffirmed his friendship with India and Modi and exhorted for a strong Indo US determination to fight radical Islamism and to wipe out the scars and relics of terrorism from the world.
This statement came at the backdrop of a diabolic conspiracy by some evil forces within India who instigated a gory communal riots in northeast Delhi to portray Indian Muslims as ‘’victims’’ and Modi govt as ‘’oppressor and tyrant’’. Alas, this nefarious agenda too boomeranged!
Similarity of events in both the countries to destabilise nationalist governments:
Ever since Modi has ascended to power in New Delhi and Trump in US, there are a section of pressure groups, lobbyists and so called intellectuals who are in abject discomfort, worried and a frustrated lot.
These are the basically the anti nationals in cahoots with like minded ultra leftist and anti establishment organisations and leaders working as a deep state to propagate falsehoods and hate campaigns to discredit and destabilise the nationalist leaders democratically elected by the citizens of their respective countries.
In the first tenure of Modi government, we saw how the media academia bureaucratic nexus was working overtime to portray isolated incidents of mob lynchings in some states of India as attacks against minorities, turning universities into battlegrounds of urban naxalism, sparing no opportunity in spreading canards, fear and egregious toxic campaigns to blame Modi.
They even went to the extent of demoralising our army by questioning the authenticity of Balakot airstrikes. The nationalist Indian electorate was silently watching this banality unfolding before theor eyes. They gave a befitting reply to these anti national evil forces in the elections of 2019 by re electing Modi with a stupendous mandate, surpassing the grand victory of 2014.
In US, we have recently seen how the George Flyod incidence was blown out of proportion to showcase Trump as a white supremacist and a insidious racist who is tormenting and killing the ‘’innocent blacks’’. Not surprising though, their Indian counterparts had tried a similar experiment in which the ‘’innocent black’’ was ‘’innocent muslim’’ which terribly failed.
So, the message is clear for nationalist Indians of US – unite and defeat the obnoxious agenda of the Leftist anti statist groups. If they can come together to weaken and defeat us, why can’t we do the same to thwart their plans?
Anti China consortium:
As we move from closer inspection of bilateral relations between India and US, it would be imperative to delve into the recent geopolitical developments that have the potential to fundamentally alter the world order.
China’s neo imperialistic ambitions threaten not only the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of India but its aggressive quest to dominate the global geopolitical and geo economic space by emerging as the sole superpower and dwarfing all other actors imperil the edifice of a rules based world order.
The dragon could be tamed only with a reinvigorated world order and again US support in this regard is inevitable. Hence, it is in the best interest of India to align strategically with the US led by a resolute and astute leader like Trump in cutting China to size by resisting its chauvinistic temptations.
Recent groupings like QUAD have both the potential and ability to deal with China on multiple fronts. Trump has manifested his intent by taking China head on and trying his best to isolate China economically as well as calling out its nexus with multilateral agencies like WHO in covering up the virulence of COVID pandemic with impunity. If Trump is re elected, both India and US can be the architects of a new world order that is rules based and just.
Way Forward:
Indian diaspora in US is the social capital propelling India’s soft power in Washington. In the last four years, they have played a major role in shaping the evolving relations between India and US and are the catalysts of this shift – the way both countries perceive each other now.
Hence, they should play a proactive role in the electoral outcome of November 2020 for that would not only decide the future course of Indo US elections but also their own fate in US. Domestic policy is intricately tied to the foreign policy of a country and hence the outcome of American Presidential elections of 2020 will have a major bearing on the future of Indo US elections.
Indian Hindu voters of America should realise that our mutual interests are not antagonistic but amicable and voting unanimously in favour of Mr Donald Trump would only deepen our ties and unambiguously serve our interests. In UK too, Indians elected from the ruling Conservative party like Rishi Sunak and Preeti Patel are holding important positions and needless to say how proud we feel in the fact that Indians heading such coveted positions abroad. The world is witnessing a political shift towards a global right wing resurgence and rise of nationalist governments across continents. Lets seize the moment. ‘’Abki baar Trump Sarkar”!
This is the most fucked up thing I have read in a long time. Modi is a murderer and Trump is a dick. They do make a good pair though. Just that nobody need them. They deserve absolutely nothing.
Two bastards of the first order: Trump and Modi. Both screwing their respective nations.
The only people opposing Trump and Modi are the devil worshipping terrorists and their immoral, gutless allies. At least it’s fun to watch as the India-US alliance goes from strength to strength! hehehheeeeeee!