OPINION:
As the dust settles on the most divisive and rancorous election campaign in American history, India, like the rest of the world, is coming to terms with Republican Donald Trump as the next president of the world’s most powerful country.
During his campaign and after, the president-elect had displayed much openness to India and Indians, in fact lauding the 3.8 million-strong Indian diaspora in the United States for its talents and hard work.
Yet he has expressed reservations on his country’s H-1B visa program that he believes is facilitating the entry of foreign workers at the cost of deserving Americans. Promising to bring back skilled jobs and to create and secure employment opportunities for Americans, he said in March, “I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program — no exceptions.”
However, in the thick of electioneering, at a charity reception titled Humanity United Against Terror that was hosted in New Jersey by an Indian organization called the Republican Hindu Coalition, Mr. Trump announced: “I am a big fan of Hindu and a big fan of India; big, big fan, big, big fan. Let me start by saying right upfront that if I’m elected president, the Indian and Hindu community will have a true friend in the White House and I can guarantee you that.” The Republican Hindu Coalition donated about $1.5 million to Mr. Trump’s campaign, and its goal is to increase the influence of Indians in Republican politics.
The Indian community was also heartened by Mr. Trump’s appointment on Nov. 23 of Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a 44-year-old second-generation Indian-American, as the U.S. envoy to the United Nations. Mrs. Haley, whose original name is Nimrata Randhawa, was earlier also perceived to have been tapped for secretary of State after her meeting with Mr. Trump following his win. This, despite her initial opposition to the president-elect that she eventually diluted to support. Her consideration for a Cabinet post had provoked a racist tirade against her from the right-wing fringe in the United States.
Apart from Mrs. Haley becoming Mr. Trump’s first non-white female Cabinet-level official, five fellow Indian-Americans also made a mark in the just-concluded elections. One of them, Kamala Harris from California, became the first to be elected to the Senate, and four others — Pramila Jayapal from Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, Ro Khanna from California and Ami Bera, re-elected from California — are entering the House of Representatives.
Also, days after his win, Mr. Trump chose to meet three real estate developers from India who are building five Trump-branded luxury apartment buildings in their country that have an estimated gross development value of $1.5 billion. Kalpesh Mehta, managing partner of Mumbai-based Tribeca Developers, which describes itself as “the exclusive India representative of the Trump Organization,” said the Trump Group had expressed interest in the past in expanding its involvement in India, which might involve investing equity. Three more projects, said the company, were likely to be launched next year.
Adding to a widening view in the United States of a conflict of interest created by the president-elect’s meeting in New York was the fact that son Donald Jr. and daughter Ivanka joined in the discussions. The presence of Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner at Mr. Trump’s official interaction with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe two days later also raised eyebrows. Many in India felt that even as steeped as its politics is in dynastic power in the country, there have been no occasions where family members have joined in on bilateral dialogues.
However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mr. Trump soon after the election results were announced and said he looked forward to working closely with him to take bilateral ties to new heights. But with no clearly articulated foreign policy from this first U.S. presidential candidate with neither political nor military experience, Indian external affairs ministry mandarins are looking out for firmer indications.
Mr. Modi, who enjoys a close rapport with President Obama, has repeatedly held up India’s commitment to freedom and democracy to serve as a reminder that his country offers the U.S. a like-minded partner and that it provides Asia with a model for development and progress more compatible with U.S. values. He has visited America four times in the two years he has been in power — more than any other country. Mr. Obama has been the first American president to have visited India twice during his tenure, and the two leaders have met seven times.
Mr. Modi lost no time in dispatching Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who was previously the India’s ambassador in Washington, to meet top officials in the Trump transition team and request an early meeting between the prime minister and president-elect. While officials were unable to respond specifically, they indicated to the foreign secretary Mr. Trump’s deep appreciation for India and Mr. Modi.
• Sarosh Bana is executive editor of Business India.
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