India invites Trump for R-Day: When events replace serious foreign policy

By inviting Trump, the Modi government is betraying its lack of gumption on the foreign policy front

India has invited US President Donald Trump to attend the Republic Day celebrations in 2019. Apart from its foreign policy implications, the event, and there should be little doubt that the Narendra Modi government will try to turn it into a spectacular 'event', will have a bearing on domestic politics as well. 

If the Lok Sabha elections are on schedule, and Trump's visit materialises, it would come barely a couple of months before the onset of the polls in early April. 

Hopefully, Prime Minister Modi will not repeat the blooper he committed during a similar visit by US President Barack