Now as the dust has settled over Prime Minister Modi’s
US visit, my two bit to it. A visit that ticked all the boxes for its
grandeur, its diplomacy, its messaging, its warmth, the deliverables, the
leaders outreach and the optics. A State visit, an address to the US Congress,
a personal dinner and all the other high level engagements including meeting
the top corporates of the US, were all by no means a small thing that the US State
went out of its way to do for the Indian PM. There were exceptions that the US
does not do often. Historic deals were struck which will go a long way to shape
India’s progress in the field of technology, defense and manufacture mainly. A
GE-HAL tech transfer to manufacture fighter jet engines and the multi billion Predator
Drone deal were a huge jump for India’s tech driven security apparatus much
bolstered by the China factor. Semiconductors and space technology is an
opportunity for India to develop a defense industry of its own as also
improving its technological competence.
The significance of the agreements are huge also
considering the reality of Russia Ukraine war which has put India in a tight
spot for want of arms and its ancillaries that we buy from Russia traditionally
as also in terms of supply chains. Buying of cheap oil from Russia is a sore
point for the US which it would be more than happy to see discontinued but for
India’s assertion of its strategic autonomy and uncompromised national
preferences.
Ridding on the stilts of shared interests as
juxtaposed to values (the much touted narrative during Modi’s US visit) the
exceptionism of the most powerful country is neither new nor without reasons. The
foundational pillars laid by former Prime Ministers Bajpai and Manmohan Singh had a boosting effect for
Modi Biden no stop bonhomie.
A leap for sure for US India relations, India offers a
plethora of opportunities for the US. If both need each other the pendulum
tilts more towards the need of US. A big market, a rising economy aspiring to
be the third largest in the world, rising Indo Pacific power, geographically
strategically located and a counter to China…India provides a perfect recipe
for US interests in the region. All the top businesses rearing to come and open
shop in India for its cheap labour, opening up business environment in the
shape of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, investment seeking and a huge young
English speaking workforce along with demography. Should we call it win win for
both countries!
Many espouse that the US needs India more than India
needs US. This visit by the Prime minister was a bag full of money for US. As
the opposition Congress scrapped the surface, the drone deal was much above the price for
a fair deal. A $3 billion (Rs 25,000 crore) for 31 drones was a four times
price paid by India and as revealed in the Parliament earlier, without
technology transfer, and the absence of CCS on board. Meaning thereby a $110
million per drone. To decode the deal as per the shooter, US purchases drones
from private companies at market price which then are purchased by the US Air
Force, in this case for $56.5 million per drone. Other country which bought
MQ9B drones from GE was UK at $200 million for 16 drones. Which meant the UK
paid $12.5 million per drone. Australia bought 12 for $1.65 million ie $130
million per drone but cancelled the deal later for being too expensive. Similarly
Spain, Taiwan & Italy too bought them.
A June 2020 report in Hindustan
Times says, ‘India rethinks buying US armed drones’ as the IAF raised concerns
about an armed drone surviving in a contested air space like PoK or along the
LAC. The U.S.News in an October 2020 report said, ‘India resists US pressure to
buy armed drones as Trump looks for foreign policy ‘wins’. Another report in
IMR says, ‘Armed Forces pare down their Predator drone requirement to 18 from
30’, after conducting detailed operations research system analysis. A
twitterate jested, ‘This could possibly be the most expensive state dinner in
history’.
India’s democratic record
along with press freedom and minority discrimination question asked by a WSJ
journalist ruffled a huge hue and cry on social media. It was a natural
question that would have been anyways asked as journalists are meant to be
asking questions to any visiting leader on the occasion of a press conference. Just
two questions permitted itself pointed to the discomfort of the leaders to take
questions. No democracy’s record may be perfect but the leader of the
biggest democracy is ideally accountable to the people. And what about back home! A state is burning with more than 130 dead, houses and property being destroyed, shelter homes packed. Sorry, elections are not the only time to be at the doorsteps.
Nevertheless US India relations has
cemented more firmly with this visit. We also seem to be going in
the right direction in this polarized world…seeing our national interests.
Foreign policy is one sphere which has seen the most positive of actions in the
past few years. But Mr Prime Minister, don’t just keep your smiles, jokes and
banters limited for foreign lands. The people who have voted you to power too
deserve your smiles more often, at the least.
Tags: #IndiaUSrelations #GEHALdeal #MQ9BDrones #PMModiUSvisit #BloggerPriti
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You are true to journalism and fearlessly factual and unbiased . Keep it up .
Interesting read. After all that aftermath a light and lively description. Well done Priti.
Interesting to read…