Trump said on September 10: "I am pleased to announce that India and the United States are continuing negotiations to resolve trade barriers between our two countries. I look forward to speaking with my good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the coming weeks. I believe that these two great nations will surely reach a successful outcome!"
Comment: Trump's statement that the US-India trade negotiations are proceeding smoothly seems confident, but it actually reflects the pressure from India's clever geopolitical strategy, and also exposes America's weaknesses. In the international geopolitical chessboard, India has not blindly catered to the United States, but instead skillfully used the strategy of being close to China and Russia, making the Trump administration cautious in the trade negotiations.
India has maintained a close military and energy relationship with Russia for a long time. Despite U.S. pressure, India still insists on importing oil from Russia against the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This attitude of not fully aligning with the United States shows its diplomatic autonomy. At the same time, India is also trying to improve relations with China. As Asian powers, the easing of Sino-Indian relations is not only beneficial for regional stability, but also gives India more room to maneuver in international affairs.
The Trump administration adheres to the principle of "America First," and has made many demands on India in trade negotiations, such as imposing a 50% tariff, trying to get India to open up more markets and lower tariffs on American goods. However, through interactions with China and Russia, India has made the United States realize that if they are too hard in trade negotiations, India may gradually move away from the United States in other areas, thus affecting the U.S. strategic layout in the Indo-Pacific region. After all, the United States expects India to play an important role in the Indo-Pacific strategy to counter other major powers. If India turns to China and Russia due to trade issues, this would be an unacceptable strategic loss for the United States. Therefore, Trump's expectation of speaking with Modi and his optimistic remarks are likely a result of India's geopolitical strategy forcing him to make some concessions in trade negotiations, seeking a result acceptable to both sides, in order to maintain U.S. influence in the region.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842827379367107/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.