Indian exceptionalism is over

President Donald Trump seems to have dismantled the consensus that India deserved special treatment from the US

- MIHIR S SHARMA

Is United States (US) President Donald Trump's crackdown on H-1Bs only the latest step in a sustained campaign that targets India, in particular? After all, more than two-thirds of H-1Bs are handed out to Indians, and it is Indian companies that are among this visa’s biggest beneficiaries.

Perhaps. From one point of view, Mr Trump’s actions, taken together, might indeed look like he is singling us out. Indian goods exports have the highest cumulative tariff rate so far, at 50 per cent. Earlier this year, a remittance tax was imposed, the burden of which might disproportionately be borne by those of Indian origin in the US. The US’ relations with Pakistan appear to be on the upswing, without any objective reason why this should be so. Multiple members of Mr ‘Trump's Cabinet have gone out of their way to needle India.

And while the H-1B decision might have hogged the headlines in the past few days, two other developments occurred in parallel. Republican senators introduced a Bill targeting imports of Indian shrimp in particular for 40 per cent tariffs. And the US administration decided to suspend an India-specific waiver to the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, which was being used to ensure that Chabahar port could be built without the threat of sanctions. This waiver was originally granted in 2018, during Mr Trump's first term, and is an indication of how the vibes have changed since then.

It’s worth noting, however, that there is considerably more that the US could do. For example, the full provisions of the Countering America’s Adversaries ‘Through Sanctions Act, or Caatsa, might be applied to India for its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system — particularly if New Delhi indicates that it does not intend to buy any more major American weapons platforms in the immediate future.