New Delhi: Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said that reestablishing next steps in an already-close strategic partnership would be a key element of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House, on Thursday.
Speaking exclusively to IANS ahead of the much-anticipated meeting between the two leaders, Shringla said that the very fact that PM Modi’s “momentous visit” to Washington takes place just a few weeks after President Trump assumed office underscores the strength of India-US friendship and strategic ties between the two nations.
“Prime Minister Modi is only the fourth global leader to meet President Trump in his second term. He’s also the first Indian Prime Minister to meet a US president so soon after his assuming office. I would say all of this reflects the importance of the relationship that both sides attach to this. So, this is an important meeting and a reflection of the two leaders and their desire to take that relationship forward, not only in bilateral terms, but also global and regional terms,” the former Foreign Secretary told IANS.
The seasoned diplomat believes that even though there are a few issues that could be classified under the broad rubric of challenges – moving towards a fair bilateral trading relationship, deportation of illegal immigrants and India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment – it can be deftly resolved by both leaders.
“I believe that the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump is such that they are able to talk to each other and understand the larger picture when it comes to the relationship. Of course, there are issues in the relationship. Every country, even with its closest partners, has issues and the closer you are, the more issues you have. But, I think the two leaders will find a way to subsume these issues, whether they are on trade, immigration, defence cooperation, or any other thing. You will basically find the convergences in the relationship,” he said.
Shringla, who has also served as India’s Ambassador to the US, foresees “only positive outcomes” out of the visit that once again establishes the strong connect between PM Modi and President Trump.
He lists reestablishing next steps in an already close strategic partnership, focusing on the economics of the relationship and enhancing people-to-people ties as the three major areas that both leaders are expected to stress on during their talks.
“It is time to look at how this partnership can take on a sort of a greater salience in economic terms so that we can use that element of trust to increase our bilateral trade and for India to become part of the supply chain, to the US and vice versa. Fast tracking negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement would be key,” he said.
Shringla mentioned that Trump already appreciates the contribution of the Indian American community towards the American economy and would be keen to resolve issues related to legal mobility and migration, whether it is access to more H-1b visas or streamlining the issue of Green Cards.
“We have already been willing to take back illegal immigrants who have been documented as being Indian citizens. It also means that there should be a parallel process through which we can discuss legal mobility and migration. Keeping with President Trump’s own vision of manufacturing in America, attracting investments in America, you need talent and human resources. I think India is the best place for that because you have talented individuals, the law-abiding ones who quite easily adjust to new circumstances and do not create problems for both countries,” Shringla stated.
The former Foreign Secretary also advised to get tech billionaire Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest confidantes right now, to invest in India.
“Elon Musk has emerged as a very, very important player in Trump 2.0. He’s also quite a visionary. So from all points of view, I think India needs to interact with someone like Elon Musk. You have to look at how people like him can get more involved with India. Musk has a lot of investments in China and is quite involved with that country. We must get Musk to look at India, get him to invest in India, must get him to manufacture in India and we must not put obstacles in his way. In my view, we must welcome him to India and allow him to use Indian talent to use Indian facilities for manufacturing to access other markets in Asia and beyond. In that context, Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with Musk is going to be very important. I think that can get us some very positive results, both, economically and politically,” he said.
(IANS)
