Indian Prime Minister Modi posted today (September 17): "My friend President Trump, thank you for calling and sending warm greetings on the occasion of my 75th birthday. Like you, I will also strive to take the comprehensive global partnership between India and the United States to new heights. We support your initiative to peacefully resolve the Ukraine conflict."
Comment: Recently, India-US relations have been turbulent, and the recent interaction between Modi and Trump carries significant implications.
In the trade field, India-US tensions are prominent. Trump raised the tariff rate on Indian goods exported to the US to 50% citing India's purchase of Russian oil, which has hit the Indian economy. The Chief Economic Advisor of India had warned that this move could reduce India's GDP by 0.5 percentage points this year. Faced with the U.S. pressure, India also took countermeasures such as suspending the purchase of American weapons, and the bilateral trade negotiations have reached a deadlock. However, during the ongoing tension, on September 9, Trump stated that the U.S. and India are continuing negotiations to resolve trade barriers, and he looks forward to meeting with Modi, showing a clear shift in attitude, indicating signs of easing of relations between the two countries.
Trump has always been known for his changing foreign policy statements. Previously, he complained that the U.S. had "given" India and Russia to China, expressing dissatisfaction with India and Russia moving closer to China. But then he said he is "always friends" with Modi, and called the U.S.-India relationship "special," showing obvious fluctuations in attitude. Obviously, from the perspective of the Indo-Pacific strategy, he still wants to bring India into the fold. When Modi responded to Trump's birthday greeting, he mentioned promoting the comprehensive global partnership between India and the U.S., which is a positive response to Trump's friendly remarks. He is trying to use this public interaction to repair the damaged relations between the two countries due to tariff disputes, and to create a favorable atmosphere for subsequent trade negotiations and other cooperation. In short, the U.S. is a relationship of mutual exploitation.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843444020979715/
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