Who got the Trump Card? Find out from eminent diplomats, experts (Conference on India-US relations)

As Donald Trump braces to take charge as the 47^th president of the most powerful country in the world, different countries and regions are frenziedly speculating about how the mercurial American leader will impact them. Against this backdrop, eminent diplomats and experts will brainstorm in an online conference titled, “The Trump Card: India’s Choices and Strategy” on the contours of the India-US relations under the Trump 2.0 presidency. The conference, organised by the Centre for Global India Insights, a leading think tank focused on global affairs and India and the World,  on January 15 will dissect and explore the ramifications of the Trump presidency on various facets of the India-US strategic partnership.

The speakers the conference include eminent experts invested in the India-US relationship. These include: Amb. (Retd.) Kanwal Sibal, Chancellor JNU, former foreign secretary, India; Mukesh Aghi, President & CEO, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF); Shalabh Kumar, Chicago-based US Industrialist and National Chair of Indian & Hindu American Coalitions for the Republican Party; Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation; Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute, Wilson Centre, US; and Dr Harinder Sekhon, Author & expert.  

The conference will be moderated by Manish Chand, CEO, Centre for Global India Insights and India Writes Network. “Given personal chemistry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President-elect Trump, one can expect the India-US strategic partnership to scale new heights under the Trump 2.0 presidency,” said Mr Chand. “Trump will not only sustain the momentum in India-US relations but will also raise the bar as this crucial relationship is underpinned by a robust bipartisan consensus,” he said.

The second Trump presidency, which will begin January 20, 2025, has evoked widespread concerns on the potential repercussions of the US’ policies on different regions and the world in the next four years. The concerns about Trump 2.0 emanate from his famed unpredictability and his extremely transactional way of functioning. Given Trump’s focus on Making America Great Again (MAGA) agenda, many analysts fear that the US will retreat from its global leadership role, leading to isolationism. The US’ allies are apprehensive that Trump will extract a hard bargain for the security umbrella Washington provides them. While in some regions such as Europe and the Middle East, the Trump anxiety is pronounced, in India the US President-elect continues to enjoy a high degree of approval. The real picture is, however, more nuanced; some contentious issues such as tariffs and H1B visa may cloud the horizons of the India-US partnership. Against this backdrop, the online conference will focus on these issues and sub-themes:

• How will the Trump 2.0 presidency impact India’s economic fortunes and India-US economic relationship? What are the prospects of a trade deal under Trump 2.0?
• Will the current upswing in defence relations continue under Trump 2.0? What new initiatives and policies can one expect in the next few years?
• What will be the fate of Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology under Trump 2.0?
• How will the Trump presidency impact South Asian countries? Will Trump confront Pakistan on the issue of cross-border terrorism?
• How will the US-China relations fare under Trump 2.0 and how will it impact India?
• Will Trump 2.0 promote India’s rise as a major global power?

The remarks made by speakers and the ensuing discussion will be edited and published in the next edition of India and the World magazine-journal. The recommendations emerging from the conference will be shared with the Indian government and key institutions shaping the India-US relations.

SOP for participation in the conference: The Trump Card: India’s Choices and Strategy

Online Conference- The Trump Card: India’s Choices & Strategy When: January 15, 6.30-8 pm IST; 8 am-9.30 am EST Speakers  Amb. (Retd.) Kanwal Sibal, former foreign secretary, India Mukesh Aghi, President & CEO, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Mr Shalabh Kumar, Chicago-based US Industrialist and National Chair of Indian & Hindu American Coalitions for the Republican Party Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute, Wilson Centre, US Dr Harinder Sekhon, Author & expert (former ORF, VIF) Moderator: Manish Chand, CEO, Centre for Global India Insights, India Writes Network Register here: https://shorturl.at/U220m https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EHbTHjDnu6g95O-q362K9m7qViehACgaaTAuMGl8PV4/edit  The WEBINAR will be broadcast Live via FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE and Twitter. YOUTUBE: Online Conference on “The Trump Card: India’s Choices & Strategy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gGuZ_6NGuM FACEBOOK: Online Conference on “The Trump Card: India’s Choices & Strategy” | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/1038588434739922 If you wish to ask question or make comments, you can join on-screen also – pl. send  a mail with your designation Pl. go to the broadcasting destination (YouTube or Facebook mentioned above) 5 minutes before the start of the webinar. The webinar will start at 6.30 pm IST sharp, January 15, Wednesday. Participants can type in your questions/comments in the Facebook and YouTube link with your name and designation. You can also send questions in advance to indiawritesgroup@gmail.com with the subject line – Questions for Trump webinar. If you wish to ask a question/make a brief comment while being seen on the screen, you can send a mail to indiawritesgroup@gmail.com with a two-line bio. We will send you a separate discussant’s link Social Media: We encourage you to tweet about the webinar. Pl. tag:@CGIIthinktank, @scepticcryptic Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/IndiaWritesConnect