Trump sees in Modi a bit of himself; India has opportunity of a century: Former NSA O'Brien

President-elect Donald Trump sees in Prime Minister Narendra Modi a reflection of himself and greatly respects his political acumen.

- Prashant Jha

WASHINGTON: He understands India's strategic importance, visited the country because he believes the "free world" must unite to counter China, and views India as part of a "trusted supply chain", according to Robert O'Brien, Trump's last national security advisor (NSA) and close aide.

However, O'Brien cautioned that India's high tariffs could be the one significant irritant in ties. He noted that India had the "opportunity of a century" to attract companies leaving China but risked squandering it if the country failed to reduce tariffs, taxes and regulations, particularly in the tech sector.

In an exclusive conversation with HT on Wednesday, O'Brien suggested India could send a strong signal of goodwill on illegal immigration by proactively offering to accept returned illegal Indian immigrants and implementing measures to stop their flow to America's southern border.

Regarding the recent H-1B visa controversy, O'Brien revealed that Trump had discussed bringing more Indian students to the US with Modi, and while the visa system needed reform, he viewed people choosing America over China as an advantage.