Modi’s
visit to US – a great beginning
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five day visit to the
United States was undoubtedly proved to be a success. Modi and Barrack Obama had useful discussions and it became clear
that U.S. genuinely wanted to move ahead with India. The two countries issued a
vision document, the two leaders penned a joint op-ed, and then came out with a
comprehensive 3,500-word Joint Statement. The
three documents contain all the parts of the relationship,
‘comprehensive dialogue’,
eight issues including energy, health, space, women’s empowerment,
trade, skills, strategy and security.
India is one of the biggest markets in the world. Without
countries like India where will Americans sell their products? And all Indian
software products are sold to Americans. The US (with the push from
Multinational Corporations and Defense Products Manufacturers) has one major
interest in India: To tap the markets created by about 370 million middle class
(urban) population in India (more than the combined populations of the whole of
US and Canada), which constitutes a net worth of over $1.65 Trillion in GDP
terms (87% of our GDP). In what way this "market tapping" by them
would ultimately benefit India to improve our own GDP closer to China (GDP
$9.25 Trillion) or even a Germany (GDP $3.65 Trillion) is a question any
development economist or friend of India would ask.
For a relationship between two such large, vibrant,
complex democracies, bound by ties / common interests and concerns that are
much deeper than the very real differences caused by the gulf in wealth and
power that sometimes stand in the way, there can be no finish line. This was,
by any standard, a very successful, substantive visit. One hopes Indian
Americans will play an even more meaningful role in supporting the
strengthening of the bilateral relationship and participating in India's
economic surge.
It is good to see that two biggest democracies are coming
closer. Modi has established a reasonably good relationship with Obama. Both of
them may not agree on all issues which is impossible. It is a good beginning
that needs to be strengthened with discussions and negotiations at different
levels in the interest of peace and stability.
Through his speeches, interactions and body language, our
Prime Minister has created a mini Modi wave in the U.S also! Not only the
Indian Diaspora but also the Americans in general and corporate honchos,
political big-wigs, and academics in particular have been charmed by Modi's
forceful and pleasing style of speech. Even President Obama felt comfortable in
his presence.
Our Prime Minister's U.S. visit is a good beginning which
will definitely pay dividends in the future. It will make NRIs invest in India
where they were assured of all assistance without delay. It has created the
right atmosphere necessary for mutual benefits. Narendra Modi’s U.S. visit has
undoubtedly restored a degree of confidence to a neglected relationship,
preparing the ground for a lift to bilateral ties.
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