Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Some mature diplomacy by Modi in Washington

Hats off to Modi and his team for doing some matured diplomacy in the just conculded first time meet of the Indian Prime Minister with his mercurial counterpart, President Trump of The United States. He showed deftness by focusing more on Business and Terrorism rather than the controversial H1B Visa issue.

The Indian team certainly did their home work well. It is known even to a layman in me that Trump's election plank was based on "America first" which runs counter to India's desire to protect and increase the number of H1B Visas which benefits Indian IT Company. By harping on it sans any formidable bargaining chip, it might have ended up pissing the unpredictable Trump off. It could even have led to a diplomatic disaster, which India currently facing challenges from an perennially irritant Pakistan and an increasingly belligerent China.

It's well known that American Presidents in their first term pursue their pet agenda, lest they are hell bent on ending up as an one term President. Obama had his Affordable Health Care bill on his mind during his first term. Similarly, Trump who is more of a center of the Right Democrat than a Conservative Republican is pragmatic enough to know that it all about jobs, jobs and jobs. 

Trump knows very well that it's not the Republicans, rather the Democrats from the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania who put him in the White House. So he is going to pursue his America first policy come what may and compromise on H1B is preetu much out of question and non negotiable for him. 

In Odia we give due importance on STHANA, KALA and PATRA (Place, time and person) - everything has its own suitable place, time and person tied to it. Good job Modi and his team being prudent enough not to raise this issue, at least this summit not being the right place or time to do so.

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