Renowned journalist and geopolitics expert Fareed Zakaria on Monday expressed a positive outlook on the direction of India-US relations during the Trump regime. He called it a “golden opportunity” for India, which could go a long way in challenging China’s manufacturing dominance and establishing itself as an alternative manufacturing hub.
Stability of relations between India and the United States
In an interview with India Today TV news director Rahul Kanwal, Zakaria said former US President Donald Trump’s praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the increasing strength of relations between the two countries are an indication that India will be a better country in the times to come. -The partnership with the United States will deepen even further. He said: “Trump always said that he likes Modi. I think there will be continuity in US policy towards India. From Bill Clinton to Joe Biden, in the last 25 years, the US has continuously strengthened its relations with India. has done.”
Opportunity to reduce dependence on China
Zakaria predicted that the combination of Trump and Modi’s policies will bring the two countries closer. He said, “We can see progress in India-US relations in the coming times and concrete steps to reduce dependence on China in Asia. This is an important opportunity for India to increase its influence in Asia.”
Trump’s policy against China and the benefit of India
Discussing Trump’s aggressive strategy towards China, Zakaria said measures like imposing a 60% export tariff on China can prove beneficial for India. He said: “American companies are already in the process of reducing their dependence on China. The Trump administration has indicated that it will reconsider its trade relationship with China.”
Zakaria said small countries like Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia are taking advantage of this shift, but India has not yet established itself as a strong manufacturing hub. He said: “If American companies remove their supply chains from China, smaller countries will not be able to meet all the demand. Only India has the scale and capacity to fill this niche.”
‘Golden opportunity’ for India
Emphasizing the unique opportunity that India has, Zakaria said that if India takes its policies in the right direction, it can become the leading supply chain hub for American companies. He said, “India should create a favorable environment for investment and prioritize the manufacturing sector. With this, India can play an important role in global supply chains.”
