President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India meet at the White House, Monday.
With around 1.3 billion citizens, India is the world’s most populous democracy. And benefiting from a rapidly growing economy, India’s global punch is growing. It’s important that the United States be on the right side of this rising great power.
First off, there’s the economic consideration. As Indian citizens grow wealthier, they will purchase more high-value goods from U.S. businesses. That matters because in 2016, India exported twice as much goods-value to the U.S. as the U.S. exported to India.
Yet if that changes in the years ahead, the benefits for American workers would be significant. Again, India’s population is a huge prospective customer base. Even an incremental increase in Indian imports of U.S. goods would be beneficial.
Second, with China and Russia asserting aggressive territorial, economic and military agendas, the U.S. needs all the powerful friends possible. Located between Pakistan and China, India can act as an economic bulwark to prevent the latter’s usurpation of global trade. And as India’s military grows increasingly capable, it will be able to join U.S. patrol missions in the Indian Ocean.
At the same time, India offers Trump a natural ally on counterterrorism issues. Long suffering from Pakistan-based and supported terrorist threats, India has little patience for global terrorist fundraising.
The question is, how does the U.S. get India closer on its side?
Put simply, America must show genuine friendship by supporting India’s core ambitions.
As I’ve noted, one key issue is India’s interest in joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The NSG allows member states to trade in nuclear technologies and equipment. But while China itself is a member of the NSG, it ardently obstructs India from joining. It doesn’t want another major nuclear power player in its neighborhood. Obama agreed, refusing to push India’s cause here, in the fear that it would upset China.
Trump should take the opposite approach. Offering an early signal of support for Modi’s foreign policy, Trump could win trust with the Indian leader.
Ultimately, Trump must ask himself a simple question: Would I rather have India as my friend, or as my acquaintance?
For reasons of mutual benefit, the answer is the former.
