GLAD TO OBLIGE, PARDNER

Trump soaks in Modi’s welcome, cuts lucrative deals for the US and hopes to score points with NRIs. India basks in the nimbus of US power.

- Pranay Sharma

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi delivered what he had promised Donald J. Trump. He turned his presidential visit into a memorable spectacle and also succeeded in making one of the most polarising American presidents in history feel immensely popular and loved after his two-day Indian sojourn. “It was an expression of real love. Everybody saw and witnessed that,” said Trump about the rousing welcome he received in Ahmedabad, Agra and Delhi.

But even as the bonhomous negotiations between the two leaders continued, communal riots raged in northeast Delhi, killing more than two dozen people and injuring hundreds. The ugly tension was stoked on the eve of Trump’s visit and reached a crisis point as he was in Delhi, raising questions about its motivation. Was this an attempt to embarrass Modi as he was feting this most honoured of guests?

Trump, anyway, refused to be drawn into any controversy. “As far as the individual attack, I heard about it but I didn’t discuss that with him [Modi]. That’s up to India,” he simply said at a press conference. He also gingerly dealt with a question on the controversial and divisive Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the fount of protests across India, and at the root of the Delhi riots.

But the issue of religious freedom did come up in Trump’s discussion with the PM. “I would say the prime minister… wants people to have religious freedom and very strongly. India has worked very hard to have great and open religious freedom,” Trump added.