5 ways Trump administration favored India
Indians love Donald Trump! Ok, that's untrue, but admittedly we all are intrigued by the man who 'very' often uses the word 'very' even though it's 'very' much not needed. Ever since he took office in January 2017, his tenure has been marred with controversies. That said, some of his decisions have been 'very' favorable for India. Let's take a look at top 5.
Cutting US aid to Pakistan
India's next door neighbor, Pakistan has been a big pain in the heart. The US showering billions of dollars in 'aid' to the Islamic nation has played a significant role in encouraging Pakistan's anti-India politics. In February'18, Trump, who blamed the previous US governments for 'foolishly' giving billions of dollars, decreased the assistance to Pakistan by $10 million in his 2019 budget. This is certainly a step in the right direction.
"Pakistan has given us nothing but lies & deceit"
Supporting India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group
In July'17, the Trump administration reaffirmed the US' support for India's membership bid to the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers group (NSG) in a report submitted to Congress. India has garnered the support of most members of the NSG, which governs global nuclear trade, but China has repeatedly blocked India's entry. The report calls for closer Indo-US defense ties under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative.
Supporting India's permanent membership to the UNSC
The most significant of all, India's activism to join the elite United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a permanent member can't be successful without support from the USA. The UNSC has five permanent members: US, China, Russia, France, and the UK. Trump administration has extended support of the United States for India's bid to ensure an expansion of the permanent members in the UNSC.
Renaming Pacific Command to Indo-Pacific Command
More recently, in a symbolic move, the United States in May renamed its US Pacific Command to US Indo-Pacific Command, thereby underlining the increasing importance of India to US. "I think India and the relationship with the US is the potentially most historic opportunity," said Admiral Philip Davidson. The move comes as a recognition of India's significant military might, ensuring collective defense against China's worrisome hegemony in the neighborhood.
Commitment to the Indo-Pacific
Making India the core of Asia strategy
Trump's frequent use of the term Indo-Pacific instead of Asia-Pacific gives us a peek into USA's growing reliance on India as a strategic partner. Centered on a free and open Indo-Pacific, Trump sees India at the heart of his Asia policy. His move will benefit India against growing Chinese aggression in the Indian Ocean, a threat shared by the United States.
