I came, I saw (India) and I Conquered (signed $3 billion Arms deal) - this is pretty much how Trump's just concluded trip to India can be summarized.
The visit was more symbolic than substantial. Trump in particular and Americans in general don't like to travel outside their own country. International exchange students from outside readily jump at the opportunity to come to the United States, most others given an opportunity. Even stringent critics of America either send or plan to send their kids to US. On the other hand, American students take least interest in these exchange programs, beyond short term summer trips to Europe, Japan and other developed nations.
In that context, Trump's visit to India is important. There must be some reasons which tempted Trump to fly 15 hours nonstop for a 36 hour trip to a country located on the other side of the globe. Here are the possible reasons.
1. Being an egotistical and narcissistic person Trump enjoys the adulation from huge crowds. As around 100,000 turned up to greet him in India, he is already boasting about 7 million people coming to see him. This will help him in his sales pitch to his home audience to showcase how popular he is all over the world.
2. All politics is local. Indian Americans though nationally insignificant in number, are significant enough to impact the results of important swing states where they are in a sizable number. Trump is aware of the fact and this is part of his reelection campaign where every single vote in swing states counts.
3. Again, all politics are local. A $3 billion sale of military weapons will bring jobs to the heartland Americas. He can boast about being the architect of it by selling it at his election rallies.
American Presidents get lot of attention in India - from media or otherwise, but this one Trumped all. Tens of millions of dollars were spent by India to impress the US President. Putin, the President of a nation who time and again stood by India at time of crisis, must be going green with envy - for he gets a fraction of attention which Trump got. The visits of the heads of states of Nigeria, South Korea or Brazil goes largely unnoticed.
Americans are poor in pronouncing Indian names - especially the long ones which they find as tongue twister. Trump was no different as he mispronounced the names of Swami Vivekananda as "Viv-eka-munand" and Sachin Tendulkar as "Soo-chin Tendul-kerr”.
But Mr. Trump doesn't have to worry. We are not greatest speakers of Anglicized names either. I have heard Odias (folks from my state back home) speaking PAKHALA KHIA English (English spoken by Odias after consuming a stomach full of water drenched rice) pronouncing Rodney Hogg's last name sounding like HAGGA (Go shit).
But Trump got pretty much what he wanted - the fanfare laced attention and as a businessman he was able to make successful sales pitch for his goods, without giving much away. This is the Election year in America. He will be in trouble if he even talks about giving concessions to India when insourcing and protection of American jobs is his slogan. It would be anathema to his "Make America Great Again" slogan. He is a smart businessman. Do you think he will ruin his reelection chances by giving India a chance to send more IT Pros to US on H1B Visa in an election year ?
Trump again indicated about mediating on Kashmir. It is known that without using the word mediation, US has intervened between India and Pakistan before, time and again at times of crisis. Kargil war of 1999, playing behind the scene to de-escalate tension after 26/11 in 2008 and most recently, the tension between the two nuclear armed nations post Pulawama attack.
Contrary to many Trump fans back home, the US President is an egotistical, arrogant person who was here on purely business mission mixing with pleasure which shouldn't be mistaken as any kind of affinity towards India. Did he concede anything tangible for India, rather than finalizing some Arms sell deals which will benefit US ? No. The trip was more symbolic than anything else. No more, no less.
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