India and the World

Jerusalem-Delhi Bonding: Israel embraces the Modi Moment

- by Manish Chand

JERUSLAEM/TEL AVIV: In a transformational moment for India-Israel relations, Jerusalem has launched an all-out charm-offensive to roll out the red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first-Indian leader to visit the Jewish nation.
In resonant gestures that will underscore the unique and special character of the expanding India-Israel relations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not only personally receive the Indian leader at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, but will also accompany him to nearly all the events and functions connected to the prime ministerial visit.
Israel’s pivot towards India
In political and strategic circles in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, one can listen in positive vibes and buzz about PM Modi’s visit to Israel, which is hailed here as historic and transformative, indicating a “pivot towards India.” “We are very excited to welcome PM Modi. He is a good friend of Israel and the Jewish people,” said Mark Sofer, deputy director general of the Asia and Pacific division of the foreign ministry and a former ambassador to India
There will be concrete deliverables and substantive outcomes after talks between PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on July 5. Many key agreements in areas of agriculture, defence and space are expected to be signed, said informed sources.
Out of closet: De-hypenating Ties
But what will mark out Mr Modi’s visit is the formal end of ambiguity and ambivalence about India-Israel relations, which had been deliberately kept discreet due to New Delhi’s apprehensions about offending and alienating the Arab world. Read more…

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GST is Goods and Services Tax, but in reality it is Good and Simple Tax:PM Modi

- by India Writes Network

In a historic move that could prove to be a game-changer for India’s economic fortunes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that GST will enhance the ease of doing business and help create a New India. The path-breaking tax reform was launched just after midnight by the PM Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee.
Addressing the nation at the Central Hall of Parliament ahead of the GST launch at midnight, PM Modi said GST will not only ease the process of doing business but will also improve the way of doing business.It will play an important role in achieving the goal of New India, scope of GST is unlimited to financial system, India will now move in a new direction, after the introduction of GST things will become easier for them.

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Will the GCC Survive?

- by India Writes Network

As is well known, the current crisis in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was caused by the June 5 decision of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt, followed later by a few others, to cut off diplomatic relations as well as trade and transport links with Qatar. Well-wishers of the GCC, which had escaped the ravages of what started as the Arab Spring in 2011, have reason to be deeply disappointed.
The crisis is getting worse by the day primarily for two reasons. First, Qatar’s adversaries seem determined to punish it whatever be the cost thereof in terms of regional stability, peace, and the suffering caused to people in the GCC and elsewhere. Second, Washington, which alone has the clout to intervene and, if need be, impose a settlement in its own interest, appears to be incapable of coherent and rational action under President Trump who has signalled a policy contradicting that of his own Secretaries of State and Defense. Without indulging in untenable counterfactual thinking, anyone could have seen that had Obama been in the White House, Secretary Kerry would have undertaken shuttle diplomacy and ended the current crisis within days. That such a settlement might have been cosmetic and that the underlying causes and complaints might have remained is a different matter. In diplomacy, one is not always looking for a permanent cure. The first priority is to put out the raging fire.

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Trump-Modi dinner: What’s cooking, what’s on menu?

- by Manish Chand

It promises to be a gourmet meal as the leaders of the world’s oldest and largest democracies have their first full-spectrum meeting and dinner in Washington DC on June 26. The buzz and hype surrounding India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth visit to the US is relatively subdued – the carnival-like festive atmosphere and feverish energy that marked his first visit to the US, with his rock-star like show at Madison Square Garden, in September 2014 seems a distant echo, but even though the horizon of expectations has shrunk there are still some appetising dishes on the table which both sides can pick and choose to suit their taste and some serious business to transact.
Looking ahead, cutting through minutiae and complexity of issues, the really important question for India is whether the new US president believes in a “New India” which PM Modi is trying to create and whether this new India synthesises with Trump’s promise of Making America Great Again. If there is win-win fit, then indeed the chronic “hesitations of history” will be passe, and a new symphony can steer India-US relations onto a higher trajectory. Read more…

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The Trump Card? High stakes for India (Modi visit to US)

- by India Writes Network

US President Donald Trump has made many positive remarks about India, has made several complaints against the Chinese policies and has shown his determination to crush Islamic extremism.
Since about 20 percent of organisations, designated as terrorist organisations by the US, happen to be located in the Af-Pak region, the US-Pakistan relations cannot be trouble-free.
The strategic scenario in the region provides a fertile ground for India-US ties to flourish, but Washington and New Delhi need to tread carefully, keeping in mind each other’s concerns.

Current signals indicate that the Indo-US ties under the Trump Administration will face no major difficulties in further boosting the emerging strategic partnership between the two countries. But it is better to wait and watch in view of the paradigm change, expected in the ways the US engages the world, under the Trump Presidency.

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Modi-Trump meeting: Will US walk the talk on Pakistan terror?

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on June 26 is one of the most keenly awaited events in the diplomatic calendars of the world’s biggest democracy and its most powerful one. Compared to Mr Modi’s first US visit as prime minister in 2014, that included an impressive rally at Madison Square Garden with legions of cheering Indian-Americans in attendance, this time round, the White House meeting takes centre stage. This suggests that the Indian leader wants to focus more on establishing a firm foundation for New Delhi to work with the relatively new US administration.
 
During his two-day sojourn in the US, Mr Modi is expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues — from economic and defence cooperation to Indo-Pakistan relations and immigration. But of especial significance, perhaps, would be the talks on regional security and terrorism. Both Washington and New Delhi have their own reasons for ensuring continued stability in South and Central Asia. While the two sides have often reiterated the need to espouse a zero-tolerance stance towards terrorism, Mr Modi would do well to impress upon the US president that no discussion on counter-terrorism would be meaningful without considering the role of Pakistan in supporting terror groups.
 

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A Forecast of the Modi-Trump Meeting

- by India Writes Network

This is not because of the absence of any outstanding issues between the two countries. There are a number of areas of mutual interest and common concern. These include advancing defence and strategic cooperation, trade surplus/deficit, international terrorism – issues on which Trump has expressed strong opinions in the past, although not specifically with respect to India-US relations.
The environment in In contrast to Prime Minister Modi’s previous visit to Washington for meeting President Obama, which was high profile in character with lots of advance publicity and hype, his forthcoming trip to the US to meet President Trump is being projected as business-like with very little hype. Almost all, if not all, of the analysts’ expectations on the outcome of the meeting are low to modest and not without reason either.
These talks will be held is also different. Earlier, one of the primary motivations for the US to strengthen strategic cooperation was the long-term prospect of India emerging as a major economic and military power and the need for crafting a viable Asian security architecture given the uncertainties about the evolution of China’s long term goals. In contrast, the Trump administration – largely reflecting the President’s ideology – is more concerned with short term results and gains for the US. Hence the US withdrawal from the Paris Convention, abandonment of the TPP, calls for renegotiation of NAFTA, demands on NATO members to increase spending, etc. Given this, the long term projections of India emerging as a major power after a couple of decades is not likely to play a major role in Trump’s approach towards India.

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