US, Them And We In Between
Outlook|July 15, 2019

India and the US are mired in disputes economic and strategic. The cloud will pass, for each draws much from close ties.

Pranay Sharma
US, Them And We In Between
FEW countries match the space the United States occupies in the political discourse of other nations. Irrespective of whether its domineering presence and penchant for interference in others’ sovereign policies is suffered or loat­ hed, no country can ignore the US. As a Chinese commentator aptly puts, irrespective of one’s geographical position, America is everybody’s neighbour.

It’s a pertinent observation in the present context, when a debate is on in the Indian foreign policy establishment on the future trajectory of India-US ties.

As policy planners search for answers on how to deal with an America exceedingly becoming abrasive under the Trump presidency, many are asking if it is time for India to find reasons to justify why it needs constructive and cordial relations with the US.

“The US under President Trump has become a very difficult and unpredictable interlocutor. Almost mercurial,” opines Commodore (retd) C. Uday Bhaskar, director, Society for Policy Studies in New Delhi. He points out that traditional US allies like Germany, Japan and South Korea have all suffered similarly since Trump came to power. “In almost all its bilateral ties, the US brings a huge index of asymmetry in its favour and seeks a basketball-like end to negotiations—relatively short with defined objectives and a definitive outcome. This is not in the Indian DNA,” he adds.

A recent meeting between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi at the G-20 Summit in Osaka might have halted the rising India-US tensions building up in the past few years. The question is how long it would last before Trump’s next round of diatribe against India is aired publicly through a set of tweets.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView all
Loss and Longing
Outlook

Loss and Longing

Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful

time-read
6 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
Outlook

Suprabhatham Sub Judice

M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago

time-read
8 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Fortress of Desire
Outlook

Fortress of Desire

A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort

time-read
7 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Of Hope and Hopelessness
Outlook

Of Hope and Hopelessness

The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film

time-read
3 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Ruptured Lives
Outlook

Ruptured Lives

A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Big Book
Outlook

The Big Book

The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Freedom Compartment
Outlook

The Freedom Compartment

#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers

time-read
1 min  |
December 21, 2024
Street Cred
Outlook

Street Cred

Serendipity photos explore elements like proximity, similarity, intuition, direction and closure, among others

time-read
1 min  |
December 21, 2024
The Other's Stories
Outlook

The Other's Stories

A new generation of Muslim filmmakers is telling their stories through cinema

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Incipient Maharashtra Model
Outlook

Incipient Maharashtra Model

The controversy over electoral votes apart, the Mahayuti won as it recalibrated with ground-level mobilisation, alarmed by the results of the Lok Sabha elections, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi lost due to its ‘business as usual’ attitude

time-read
7 mins  |
December 21, 2024