Donald Trump wins US election 2016
Donald Trump won the US presidential
election on 8th November in a stunning victory that sent shock-waves
around the world.
In his victory speech, Trump has promised
that as the American president he will honour the pledge stitched into his
white and red baseball caps, “Make America Great Again”.
Donald Trump captured crucial victories
over Hillary Clinton in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, showing strength in
two of the nation’s most fiercely fought battleground states in a tight race
for the presidency.
India’s
relations with US
USA is India’s second-largest supplier of
defence equipment, it is also one India’s most important trading partner (the
India-US trade figures exceed $100 billion). India’s bid for a permanent seat
on the UN Security Council also makes its relationship with USA vital in
strategic terms.
Trump
and India
In New Delhi’s political circles, the
general belief is that Republican presidents are generally better for India
than Democrats. However, Trump is hardly a typical Republican, having taken up
foreign policy positions that conflict with the Republican ethos. On the other
hand, India has had a long association with Hillary Clinton who is seen as
someone who would be a good President to cater to India’s concerns.
Compared to Clinton, Trump has been more
vocal on fighting terror. With an eye on garnering votes from the
Indian-American community, Trump has made many comments about India during the
last leg of his election campaign. He has also sent a message that under his
administration, the US would talk tough with Pakistan on the issue of
cross-border terrorism. However, while his statements hint at a tilt towards
India, he has also said, “Pakistan is semi-unstable. We have a little bit of a
good relationship. I think I’d try and keep it.”
Trump
also has no experience of working at any level in the US administration. Hence,
his ideas and capabilities on many issues, including foreign policy, are yet to
be tested. Finally, Donald Trump’s soft approach towards Russia may propel him
to revisit US policy towards China, something which can have serious security
ramifications for India.
No comments:
Post a Comment