Obama or Nixon: Which template would Donald Trump's India visit follow?

With a decelerating economy that weakens India's hands on geopolitical issues, it will be interesting to know which way this visit will go.

While it wasn’t an official visit, the first occupant of the White House to land on the shores of India was Ulysses S Grant, and likely not the last with, let’s say a dodgy sense of aesthetics. The 18th President of the United States, Grant served two consecutive terms in office between 1869 and 1877 and was also the Commanding General of the US Army when the Civil War was won. Soon after his term ended, Grant and his wife Julia set forth on a two-and-a-half-year world tour that aimed to project the US as an outward looking power ready to engage with the world.

Grant arrived in Mumbai in February 1879 aboard USS Richmond and undertook the customary trip, on elephant back, to the Taj Mahal in Agra, whereupon the Grants thought it beautiful but not more than the Capitol Hill building. Grant met the then Viceroy Robert Lytton in Kolkata and professed admiration for his father Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s novels. In 1982, the San Jose State University instituted the annual, tongue-in-cheek Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest to award the worst possible opening lines of a novel as a tribute to Bulwer-Lytton’s “It was a dark stormy night” in his 1830 work Paul Clifford.

It remains to be seen what reluctant traveler Donald J Trump, the 45th President of the US on his two-day visit between February 24-26 makes of the spartan Sabarmati Ashram, the Taj Mahal, or the ‘Kem Cho, Trump’ rally in Ahmedabad where PM Narendra Modi assures there would be “millions and millions” in attendance.

Beyond the bearhugs and protestations of great personal bond between the two leaders, this visit carries a more transactional flavour than other recent presidential trips to India. Unlike in the past, a trade deal between the two occupies centerstage, given the context of Trump’s domestic policy priorities.

Trump, the self-professed master of deal making has in recent months dubbed India “tariff king” in a tweet pointing towards India’s propensity to heavily tax US exports such as the high-end Harley Davidson motorcycles. India, instinctively wary of trade deals now has more reason to worry considering the deteriorating health of export sector after sector from gems and jewelry to textiles. India’s inability to take any meaningful advantage in return for greater American access to its domestic markets perhaps explains its lack of enthusiasm on this front. But hey, we’re at least talking business. It wasn’t like this always.

Kashmir is issue between India-Pak; US ready to assist talks: State Dept

It also said Pakistan taking "sustained and irreversible" steps against terrorism is key to a successful dialogue with India.

Business Standard : The Trump administration has launched a damage control exercise after the President's remarks about mediation on Kashmir, with the State Department on Tuesday saying it was a "bilateral" issue between India and Pakistan, and the US "welcomes" the two countries "sitting down" for talks.

It also said Pakistan taking "sustained and irreversible" steps against terrorism is key to a successful dialogue with India.

"While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," a State Department spokesperson told PTI in response to a question if Trump's remarks reflect a change in the country's policy on Kashmir.

India has already rejected Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his mediation on the Kashmir issue.

For more than a decade, the US has consistently insisted that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and it is for the two countries to decide on the nature and scope of the dialogue.

"We believe the foundation for any successful dialogue between India and Pakistan is based on Pakistan taking sustained and irreversible steps against militants and terrorists on its territory. These actions are in line with Prime Minister (Imran) Khan's stated commitments, and Pakistan's international obligations," the State Department spokesperson said.

"We will continue to support efforts that reduce tensions and create an environment conducive for dialogue. This first and foremost means tackling the menace of terrorism. As the President indicated, we stand ready to assist," the spokesperson said in response to a question.

On Monday, Trump stunned India by saying that Prime Minister Modi, during the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, sought his help in resolving the Kashmir issue.

"I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject (Kashmir). And he actually said, 'would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator?' I said, 'where?' (Modi said) 'Kashmir'," Trump said during his talks with Khan, their first since the latter came to power in August, 2018.

"Because this has been going on for many, many years. I am surprised that how long. It has been going on (for long)," he said, with Khan responding 70 years.

India risking US ire? Pentagon against any country buying S-400 from Russia

India inked an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch of the S-400 missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

Business Standard : The US is keen to make its defence partnership with India stronger, the Pentagon has said, but made it clear that it is against any country purchasing military equipment, including the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, that is designed to counter America's sophisticated fifth-generation aircraft.

The remarks by a top Pentagon official came in response to a question on India going ahead with its decision to purchase the S-400 missile defence system from Russia.

India inked an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch of the S-400 missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

"Our defence partnership with India I think is strong and we're looking to make it ever stronger," David J Trachtenberg, the deputy under secretary of defence for policy, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.

When asked if the US can have a major defence partnership with India, which is going ahead with a decision to buy the S-400, Trachtenberg said, "I think the message we are sending is that we want to make sure that other countries are not purchasing equipment that is designed to counter our sophisticated fifth-generation aircraft."

"The other message we're sending is that we are consistent in our approach on this."

Trachtenberg's comments also come a day after President Donald Trump has announced that the US would not sell the F-35 fighter jets to Turkey after Ankara purchased the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russia.

Trachtenberg said America's decision to unwind Turkey's participation in the F-35 programme was no surprise as its concerns had repeatedly been communicated to the Turkish government.

"Our reaction today is a specific response to a specific event. It is separate and distinct from the broader range of security interests where the United States and Turkey work together against common threats," he said.

The official said the military-to-military relationship between the two countries remained strong. He added that the US would continue to participate with Turkey in multilateral exercises, as well as engage with the country on a broad range of NATO issues.

"While Turkey's decision is unfortunate, ensuring the security and integrity of the F-35 programme and the capabilities it will provide to our partners remains our top priority," Trachtenberg said.