US Presidential election: India expects 'policy continuity' with Trump

US Presidential election 2024: Indian leader PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar, Chief Economic Adviser Nageswaran, and more expect US-India bond to remain strong regardless of US election results

India expects steady diplomatic and economic relations with the United States, regardless of the political shift following Donald Trump’s recent election win, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran told Reuters on Wednesday.

 

Nageswaran expressed confidence that India’s relationship with the US would maintain continuity, even as the nuances of policy may shift. 

 

“To a large extent, it will be policy continuity either way. There'll be variations by degrees,” Nageswaran was quoted as saying by Reuters.

 

Nageswaran reiterated India’s readiness to work with whichever leader the US elects. He anticipates that economic ties, a crucial aspect of the India-US partnership, will remain stable.

 

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his "friend" Donald Trump on his victory, affirming his commitment to strengthening the “comprehensive global and strategic partnership” between India and the US.

 

PM Modi posted on X, “Heartiest congratulations my friend Donald Trump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership.” He also expressed hopes for enhanced global stability amid the current geopolitical challenges.

 

The India-US relationship under Trump’s previous term was marked by significant diplomatic cooperation, with both leaders demonstrating mutual admiration. High-profile events, including the 2019 “Howdy, Modi!” rally in Houston and the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad in 2020 highlighted their camaraderie. The two leaders also aligned on strategic goals, such as promoting a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” in response to China’s growing regional influence. This alignment fostered closer defence ties, regular joint military exercises, and India’s involvement in the Quad alliance with the US, Japan, and Australia.

 

Trade, however, remained a challenging issue. Trump’s “America First” approach saw increased tariffs on Indian exports, which prompted reciprocal measures from India. Despite these trade tensions, efforts to negotiate fairer terms for both nations continued.

 

Reflecting on India-US relations more broadly, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das recently noted that these ties have only grown stronger and would likely continue to thrive, regardless of US electoral outcomes.

 

Similarly, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also remarked on a possible shift toward an “isolationist” US stance, according to another report by Reuters. He observed that recent US administrations, starting from President Barack Obama, have been more cautious in global commitments, possibly indicating a longer-term trend. Jaishankar suggested that while Trump may vocalise such policies more directly, the US might continue on a path of reduced international intervention and support.

 

“If we are truly analysing them, I think we have to prepare for a world where the kind of dominance and generosity the US had in its early days may not continue,” Jaishankar said.