
JK News Today Commentary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the U S in next few days’ time , most probably on February 12-13 , at the invitation of President Donald Trump is going to be one of the most significant events at the global stage .
For Indians, of course, it is a great event . It denotes two practical realties : the Indians are looking forward to have better ties with America when the rest of the world is voicing its worries over trade and tariff campaign launched by Trump; and how this visit can help in pulling the world out of distress situation in which it finds in the ongoing times.
In the first place, there is a need to understand why White House should be hosting Prime Minister Modi even when President Trump is in his first month in office of his second term? This question can be best answered by analyzing what is common between the US and India and their leaders. Both of them represent political stability in their own countries and share concern over the world order which has lost its moorings particularly after Russia-Ukraine conflict which began in February 2022, and Israel-Hamas war after October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel , triggering retaliation .
Trump is devoted to “ Making America Great Again”. This is an ambitious plan. This mission of making one’s country great again invokes two things that glaring gaps would be repaired and the prestige of the country will be enhanced in the international community. This is a mission that requires steadying domestic and foreign policy . Without these two aspects complimenting each other ambitions cannot be realized .
On domestic front , Donald Trump has announced a slew of measures – protection of the manufacturing units and export of their products , saving local jobs and cleansing the US of illegal immigrants . Each of this domestic -policy driven goals have implications on the foreign policy . In today’s world , there is noting like domestic policy without having the foreign policy playing a role in it.
Trump is aware that he cannot fulfil his ambition without reliable fiends in the international community . his ambition of MAGA is dependent upon the world leaders who share his vision , not out of compulsion or fear but because they see it as an extension of stabilizing the world . For that this set of leaders must have standing of their own , besides having ideas for global peace and prosperity. It is in this frame that Prime Minister Modi stands tall.
Modi has stabilized India in the past over 10 years of rule in India . He is on a mission to make India as “ Viksit Bharat”, which is inspiring for the nation which trusts him time and again , election after election , but also for the world that is looking for a pivot to help them solve their problems in a democratic fashion . This concept is rooted in one of the fundamental principles of India ,” Vasudev Kutumb “ ( The world is one family) .
During the visit, it is expected that Prime Minister Modi will focus on the Indo-US ties and look for the two countries working as equals , and in which the two countries work to guard each other’s trade and other interests . America is keen that India should buy its defence equipment , while Modi would be pleading for enhanced imports from India . This is not an easy task, but that challenge will have to be surmounted in the interest of the two countries .
Trump will have to listen to Modi because it is important for him and his credibility Modi represents a class of rare leadership who cares for his people who constitute world’s largest democracy in the world , and who has shown by his will power and strong faith in peace in resolving most troubling questions . The way India was able to end a military standoff with China, which is a superpower in its own right . China had imposed a very, very difficult situation on the LAC in eastern Ladakh , triggering panic in the international community which saw signs of a war-like situation in the region . Some of the observers had imagined a big clash between the two nuclear powers in Asia , but Modi through his policies and faith in dialogue and diplomacy defied all the presumptions and imagined consequences without compromising on the country’s integrity and sovereignty .
By befriending India and Modi , Trump would be doing a favour to himself and America of his dream. The Modi-Trump cooperation can show a new path to the world. The visit as such is a great reality and reflection of India’s prowess in the world under Modi’s leadership