Brij Bhardwaj
Next week India will know if US President Donald Trump wants to carry on his bias against India to the point where the relationship between the two countries, which has been built during the last two decades, suffers major damage. Support for improving Indo-US ties has come from Republicans as well as democratic regimes in the past. It has taken a long time to bring trust back between the two wedded to democracy.
The U.S President will have to decide if he goes ahead and impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports besides the 25 per cent imposed earlier or not. If he does so it will make it very difficult for Indian exporters to do any trade with the U.S. The earlier tariff was high as compared to other countries in South Asia but could be managed. Imposition of additional tariffs will force India to take steps to safeguard its economy by looking for other markets and to buy less from the U.S.
India had hoped that relations between the two countries would grow with Mr Trump’s second term as U.S President. This did not happen as the U.S administration under him, which looked at tariff imposition as a weapon, spoke repeatedly about high tariffs imposed by India on the import of luxury items. The U.S. demand for entry of agricultural produce in India also was unreasonable as it would have hurt lakhs of farmers in the country.
India had been gradually reducing tariffs on imports from the U.S. It has also been diversifying the buying of defence equipment. Demand to cut or stop crude from Russia or defence equipment could not be entertained as Indo-Russian relationship has been built over decades and has been a part of our relationship for decades. Moreover, crude oil which we got from Russia came at a discount which not only helped us but also kept prices of oil under check worldwide.
More so India alone did not import from Russia. Even the U.S imported from Russia and has not stopped and it continues to get uranium and other items. China is the largest importer of oil from Russia and NATO members have not stopped buying items from Russia. AS such a call by them to India to do so was not fair. In no way India can accept demands of with whom it should trade. India has to be free to look for best bargains. The call for India to behave like a strategic partner is unfair as none of them have played that role in its conflicts or to check terrorist activity undertaken and supported openly by Pakistan.
The hosting of the Pakistan Army Chief by the U.S President for lunch and claiming that he brought about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan when the same was agreed at direct request by the Pakistan Army left a bitter taste. As such India has no option but to look elsewhere if the U.S continues to seek concessions which we can not concede. In this direction steps are being taken. Indo-Soviet relations are getting a boost and attempts are being made to improve relations with China.
The Indian economy is strong enough to take on such shocks as will come by imposition of tariffs by the U.S. India can not be treated like a country which will abandon its long held policy to remain out of any blocks and to trade and enjoy good relations with all. India as one who adopted non.alignment as a policy in foreign relations can not abandon the same.
A call will have to be taken by the U.S if it wants to retain India as an ally in South Asia or not.
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