India-US relations: A path forward

The recent comments from President Donald Trump, dismissing the Indian economy as “dead”, have understandably caused a stir. Coming on the heels of new tariffs on Indian goods, this rhetoric feels like a schoolyard bully telling a smaller child, “your mother is ugly”. It is meant to provoke and belittle. And just like a child’s insult, we must recognise it for what it is: a tactic, not a true reflection of reality or a basis for sound policy.

- SHASHI THAROOR

For India, the key is to take Trump seriously, but not literally. We cannot afford to be distracted by his provocative language and “all-caps” social media posts. The challenge lies in separating the bluster from the underlying strategic and economic realities that continue to bind our two great nations.

Trump's words may not be a sign that he has suddenly forgotten India’s significance. Rather, they are part of a political strategy, largely aimed at a domestic audience. His preferred negotiating method is to create an atmosphere of crisis to extract concessions. By labelling India’s tariffs as “among the highest in the world” and our economy as “dead”, he is setting the stage to present any future trade deal as a massive victory for the American people.

The risk, however, is that the 50 per cent tariff announcement, and the accompanying surround-sound, might derail the strategic partnership between India and the US. Trump's behaviour threatens crucial areas of cooperation that both countries have a vested interest in preserving and advancing.