NEW DELHI: It is important for India to keep track of the alternative media in the US. A large section of the American public turns to this media for news and views.
The Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies (KIIPS) organized a roundtable discussion on Indo-US relations amidst the current US presidential election campaigns, at the prestigious India International Centre to examine whether it would at all matter for India if the next occupant of Oval Office in the White House is a Republican President or a Democratic President.
Every fourth year the American voters elect a President who could be the incumbent or a new candidate and the Indian public discuss whether a Republican President is good for India or a Democrat. The experts from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Center for Airpower Studies, Indian Council of World Affairs, Observer Research Foundation, The Sunday Guardian, TERI and KIIPS held three-hour long deliberations and gave various perspectives on a range of issues, including nuclear issues—civil and military, defence and security, science and technology, role of media, geopolitical factors, trade and investment and made valuable observations.
First of all, examining the current and future trajectory of Indo-US relations made this roundtable eminently relevant and significant. The political scene in the US has been frequently changing in the current presidential year and the latest developments encompass an assassination attempt to kill former President Donald Trump and the nominee of the Republican Party for the presidential race and the uncertainty surrounding the nominee of the Democratic Party due to lacklustre performance of President Joe Biden in the debate with his competitor and his health conditions.
Secondly, the bipartisan consensus in the US regarding US-India relations cannot be taken for granted unless carefully and consistently nurtured. Even if the Republican and Democratic Party in the US Congress have bipartisan positions on sustaining Indo-US strategic partnership, the role of the individual who sits in the White House and his priorities is crucial to further strengthen the partnership.
Third, the unforeseen geopolitical developments too shape bilateral relationship and that is clearly reflected in the ongoing Ukraine war in Europe and the Israeli-HAMAS war in West Asia. There is little doubt that the Ukraine conflict has impacted the US perception of Indian foreign policy and if the war continues post November 2024 and Donald Trump wins the presidential race, the consequences cannot be measured now accurately.
Keeping the above rationale in mind, experts in the roundtable discussion threw light on India’s relations with the United States under past Democratic and Republican Presidents and hinted at potential impact of the outcome of the 2024 US presidential race.
Some of the takeaways from the roundtable discussion are worthy of attention. First of all, no matter who runs the White House, the nuclear issues will be one of the top items in the agenda of the next administration. Russian President Vladimir Putin brandishing nuclear weapons, North Korea threatening Japan and South Korea by conducting repeated missile tests, US deciding to focus on strengthening its nuclear arsenal, China expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenals may lead to a nuclear arms race and the experts felt that India should refrain from joining a nuclear arms race. However, it was recognized that Indo-US cooperation in nuclear energy sector, especially Small Modular Reactors is desirable.
Secondly, experts pointed out that slowly and steadily Indo-US technology collaborations, including defence technology, have evolved over the decades under both Republican and Democratic Administrations. While the approved projects will continue and they will help India develop military capabilities and the current dialogues on cooperation in the fields of critical and emerging technologies are also important, foreign collaborations in defence technology sectors always have limited scope. As a matter of fact, several Indo-US initiatives too are yet to mature. India’s long-term goal should be self-reliance in critical technologies to an extent India can be insulated from external pressures, such as sanctions.
Third, it was highlighted that no matter who becomes the next US President, certain bureaucratic agencies will continue to release reports, such as the ones on human rights and religious freedom, annoying the Indian government and upsetting the Indian people. The mainstream media in the US is no longer neutral and bipartisan. They have come under tremendous influence of the political parties and advocacy groups and indulge in misinformation and disinformation against India. It is important for India to keep track of the alternative media in the US where there is much ignorance about India. A large section of the American public turns to this media for news and views. It is important to reach out to this section for providing common American citizens with undistorted information on Indian society and culture.
Finally, it was emphasized that the doctrine of strategic autonomy is relatively less useful than upholding strategic interests when India seeks to bolster its comprehensive ties with the United States. No country in the world, including superpowers, can have absolute strategic autonomy. Geopolitical compulsions dictate that it is important to prioritize maintenance of strategic interests during crisis while seeking to optimize strategic autonomy in the long run.
Experts believe that the outcome of the current presidential race in the US may be uncertain, but the fundamentals of Indo-US strategic partnership will remain unaltered under any eventuality.
Chintamani Mahapatra is Founder Chairperson of Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies and formerly Professor at JNU.