The Trump card not for India

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Daanish Bin Nabi

Results of the recent American election surprised the world that had somehow prepared itself to see the first woman President of the United Stated of America. After an intense race for the top slot, the opinion was divided in the middle – those favoring Hillary Clinton and the greater good and those favoring Donald Trump and the overweening narcissism. For an American who for decades has been consuming excessive pride of being high and mighty, Donald Trump is the perfect role model. He is not racist per se, but a true American of yesteryears who believed in taking all. The blast wave of Trump- win travelled far and wide, inspiring awe everywhere. Popular media in America had one of those moments “What really happened, does anyone know” as Trump clinched victory, taking it from almost everyone including himself after his self-sabotaging acts. That is true victory, the American dream, which should be absorbed positively by people who in their heart are no different than Donald Trump. Popular American media is still finding it hard to accept Trump as a President, opinion of major newspapers still reflect the shock and reluctance. It swings to the extent that a coup appears to be more acceptable to some sections than Donald Trump. There have been open protests at several places in America. New York city as well as The New York Times look crestfallen, with a “Not my President” placard hanging from their necks. 


What Trump means to India

Before Trump’s win, the stakes from India on new American President came in two forms or stages. In America the Grand Old Party or GOP is Republican. In India Grand Old Party is the Congress (Indian Congress). On a political spectrum, the two GOPs appear on opposite ends. The American GOP is a right-wing conservative party, while as the Indian GOP is positioned in the middle, progressive liberal. Republicans right-wing position is similar to BJP only in positioning and not as ideological.  The right-wing Republican can be thought of Captain American who goes on conquering world with the strictest possible business and capitalist frame of mind. But the right-wing Indian can be thought of as any RSS follower who is progressive but with conservative frame of mind based on religion and culture. Just because Republican party is conservative, it does not mean that they are identical to India’s BJP, a totally misconstrued idea.
Some smaller Indian political groups after Trump’s victory have been celebrating. Trump’s anti-Muslim and anti-minority position is not based on his or his party’s affiliation and endorsement of any particular faith. It is based on a perception that certain minorities in America pose threat and act as hurdles for the progress of true Americans. A wall near Mexico does not mean American segregation based on affiliation to a certain ethnicity, but it means to cut down all losses that America suffers by being open to non-Americans. It is a business call, not a call on faith. Trump has not said it will built churches of particular denomination. This should put things in perspective for those in India who have been into missionary politics, promising construction of worship places and chastising select groups.
Many sections in India, particularly in the mainstream media, before election results were declared believed what most of the world did – Hillary Clinton will win. So the opinion ran how India can move forward to forge a better relation with the Clinton at the helm. The stakes were put on the possible Clinton administration, which did not happen. Hillary Clinton’s US and India, that was the subject and Indian media tried to build it up. After the defeat of Clinton, the theme first changed to “What Trump can do to Pakistan” and now the stakes are forwarded to possible Trump-Modi bonhomie.
Clinton and Democrats are more like India’s Congress party, accused of being more liberal and apologetic than needed. Clinton won in California, a place now known for being an IT and internet based industry hub. Clinton’s win could have made a difference as it would have given leverage to IT and India’s contribution. But Trump won, a man who has promised to get back the jobs that Americans lost because of globalization. That means it is going to be real bad for Indians (Asians) working in America and those who wished to work in America. Trump’s may change the work visa regime and lo all American jobs to Asians disappear. It will affect the IT and Internet related industries, in which Asians including Indians have much at stake.
Trump has also an eye on increasing the production at home. MNCs have been shifting their manufacturing and production units out of America, to cut down on taxes and make more profit. Units and foreign investment in other countries may anytime move towards America again with just a small change in tax regime. Losers – Asians.
If Trump really would go against Chinese economy by increasing taxes on their imports, it will affect China but more than that it will affect India. Chinese products will be diverted to Asian markets where India will have to compete with them, which it cannot. Winner – America, loser – India.
Trump has said that America needs to be run like business. From decisions like whether to wage a war or participate in aggression on any other soil to those of lesser importance and internal issues – it will be with a typical business approach. 
Americans are like anyone else. They feel insecure, they are trying to find jobs, they have been battling recession, they can’t understand why Americans are having less and less as years pass. So they placed their bet on a businessman, who though may be a narcissist, sexist and racist, but a businessman nonetheless. The edge he seems to have had was that he by his open admissions tried to prove that he was not a hypocrite, that what was in his mind was the same as in his mouth. That might have been something Americans thought was reliable.                  
India was helped by open and free trade regime since 1990s. Trump is going to plug all holes from where it sees American money draining and helping others, which puts India in a more challengeable position. The president might go for a deal where more American products will make it to India, instead of the reverse. So before celebrating, India needs to think what it is celebrating for.

Feedback at daanishnabi@gmail.com             

Published in Rising Kashmir on 12 Nov, 2016

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