India-US relations: News and Discussions IV

[A_Gupta]

> Some media outlets (unverified) including a Packee outlet are reporting that EAM Jaishankar recently had Nikhil Gupta released and returned to India.

Best I can tell all the reports are based on the Packee report. Meanwhile the Left wing whispers that Jaishankar was on a mission to get Modi invited to the Trump inauguration; misssion failed.

[KL Dubey]

There has been a flurry of activity in India-US relations just before Bhaidanwa heads back to the good old basement snoozing days.

Sullivan's India visit seemed fairly productive: https://swarajyamag.com/world/what-nsa- ... n-entities

Jaishankar's US visit seemed a little secretive, not much information apart from his meeting with the incoming US NSA Waltz and a meeting with "outgoing Biden officials".

MEA official release: https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.h ... of_America

Maybe the relative lack of info has fueled speculations. As for "Modi trying to attend Trump inauguration", I only found these claims from Subramanian Swamy, who is not a reliable source on such matters (maybe he was parroting someone else or vice versa).

[Amber G.]

I often refrain from posting in these threads, as they frequently get trolled, but some comments:

There has been a flurry of activity in India-US relations just before Bhaidanwa heads back to the good old basement snoozing days.

Sullivan's India visit seemed fairly productive: https://swarajyamag.com/world/what-nsa- ... n-entities

Jaishankar's US visit seemed a little secretive, not much information apart from his meeting with the incoming US NSA Waltz and a meeting with "outgoing Biden officials".
MEA official release: https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.h ... of_America

Maybe the relative lack of info has fueled speculations. As for "Modi trying to attend Trump inauguration", I only found these claims from Subramanian Swamy, who is not a reliable source on such matters (maybe he was parroting someone else or vice versa).

By many indications (from both India and US sources and report here) it has been productive for India/US relations. See for example WH press release :
The United States and India Committed to Strengthening Strategic Technology Partnership

The United States and India are strengthening their strategic technology partnership, focusing on critical and emerging technologies. This partnership, initiated in 2022 by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi, aims to integrate technology and defense supply chains, promoting a trusted and resilient innovation base .

Key Areas of Cooperation:

Space Technology: Joint efforts in human spaceflight, commercial space cooperation, and satellite development, including the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Defense Innovation: Collaboration on defense industrial cooperation, joint production of defense equipment, and startup ecosystem partnerships.
Clean Energy and Critical Minerals: Partnerships in small modular reactor technology, critical minerals supply chains, and research collaborations.
Semiconductor Supply Chain: Strategic partnerships for secure and resilient semiconductor supply chains.
AI, Computing, and Quantum: Cooperation on AI technology, quantum information science, and advanced computing.
People-to-People Ties: Enhancing collaboration between universities, researchers, and entrepreneurs, and streamlining visa processes.

These efforts demonstrate the commitment of both nations to fostering a robust and innovative partnership that benefits not only the United States and India but also the global community.

--
First joint U.S.-India astronaut mission to the Intl Space Station (Axiom-4) scheduled for spring 2025

[uddu]

It seems to be some kind of reciprocity being offered for something that we don't know yet. Especially that will somehow effect the Democratic side of things.

[bala]

This change of heart/tone at the very end of a regime is standard Democratic practice. Billy boy clinton had a change at the end of his term, so did Obummer and now Bidenwa who does not remember anything, not even his name. All the bad deeds were committed upon India prior to this "change of heart". The long lists of cooperation amounts to a hill of beans, farted out at the last moment. India is not going to benefit from any of these laundry list items, pray tell what use are these non-sensical bs cooperation.

Tis time for India to act like a big boy and get past these tete-a-tete stuff. US deep state is facing a crisis after withdrawing from China. All the previously dismantled factories from US / Europe were plunked down at no-cost in China. The hordes from China's villages were driven/beaten and mandated to work long hours in factories churning out trinkets for worldwide consumption. The owners of the factories in the US/Euro land benefitted immensely. Then china turned the tables and stole all the tech and started to morph into their own standing in the world. US/Europe got wise about the China moves and had to withdraw. Now the alternative is India which provides scale of operation. The deep state wants the hordes from Indian villages to be driven/beaten and mandated to work long hours (hence the clamour by Desi Infosys Murthy on their behalf that Indians work long hours).

What is India going to do about the new found love of US/Europe factory owners for India. All the new fangled stuff is reserved for the big boys to dominate. Cooperation in democratic setups is not to the liking of owners. There will be repeated back stabbing, pulling down leadership of India and other tricks. India has to guard itself and at the same benefit from the largesse showered by the conversion from China to India by the owners, who are the Deep State operatives.

[pgbhat]

We are probably seeing Monroe doctrine implemented in real time with Trump Jr talking about buying Greenland, Trump Sr talking about annexing Canada and Elon going after Starmer.

[vijayk]

https://indianewengland.com/dojs-select ... ce-gooden/

New York– Lance Gooden, a Republican lawmaker from the US state of Texas, has slammed the Joe Biden Administration’s probe of senior Adani Group officials, saying this could derail US-India ties and economic growth.

In a letter to US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, the Congressman said the Department of Justice (DoJ) should focus on domestic issues instead rather than engaging with “selective prosecution of foreign entities and the potential harm such actions pose to US’s global alliances and economic growth”.

“The Department of Justice’s selective actions risk damaging critical alliances with key partners like India, one of America’s strongest allies in the Asia-Pacific region. Instead of pursuing cases with tenuous jurisdiction and limited relevance to US interests, the DOJ should focus on punishing bad actors at home, rather than chasing rumours abroad,” Gooden wrote in the letter (dated January 7).

The Republican lawmaker further stated that “when we forego real threats from violent crime, economic espionage and CCP influence and go after those who contribute to our economic growth, it discourages valuable new investors hopeful of investing in our country”.

[KL Dubey]

https://indianewengland.com/dojs-select ... ce-gooden/

A good development. Several lawmakers have already given such opinions. Given the DOJ guy responsible for the indictment is resigning this Friday, this case will now likely be a non-starter.

Perhaps Garland will have this case (and hopefully the Nikhil Gupta case as well) dismissed before his departure, or the incoming AG will have to look into it.

[Hriday]

In the next Trump govt, is there any scope for a substantial investment from the USA to India; at least on infrastructure? In the context of,
1. Hindu Americans support to Republicans.
2. Counterweight to China.
3. A prosperous India will be a huge market for the USA, including military sales.
4. Non-aggressive culture of India means it will be beneficial for cooperating on numerous issues.

What India needs now is more foreign investment, which helps lift a large chunk of the population out of poverty and will also help the BJP electorally.

[Cyrano]

What investment do we need in infra?! We are building some 36km of highways per day already, ports are coming up, etc. Perhaps some commercial ship building expertise... I'm not sure. Investment and tech in waste management, recycling, water treatment etc is definitely welcome.

Where India needs to be smart is to buy US/European tech companies as they go through difficult times in 2025. And not let opportunities like Boston Dynamics and others go by as we watch sleepily.

Lets get the relationship to deliver GE 404s & 414s first, then investments in Mil & Comml aero engine and air craft mfg and get India at least to an embraer level autonomy in the next decade or so. And get us into NSG or whatever else is needed, some investment/JV in N power tech would be good as well.

For most of the other sectors, US investment capacity is a function of USD/RE exchange rate. Something tells me it may very well buck the trend of past decades and go the other way soon. If that indeed happens we will be better of in the long term even if our economy grows a bit slower in the short term.

I'm expecting - given the mountains of debt of US, EU nations, and that of China - the biggest risk for India which has kept its debts at some modest levels, will be to get sucked into a huge global currency upheaval. We dont have the small population or huge resource reserves nor the 16K+ N warheads of Russia to say FU'all and resist what I think is going to come.

IMHO, a period of great watchfulness and tact that lies ahead for Ind-US relations. Else we'll be putting 1.5 Billion people's future at risk to play roulette in some Vegas casino. And we all know who wins there.

[Amber G.]

For southern California - please stay safe..( some entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles no longer exist).

[vera_k]

This news then would be of interest.

Canadian lawmaker offers to take Washington, Oregon, California as new provinces

[Amber G.]

Reports: Donald Trump will travel to India this year to meet PM Narendra Modi.

[Hriday]

Why are there no comments on Modi not getting the invite to the swearing-in ceremony of Trump? From the News reports, I saw that the below-given list of invitees is there. Isn't it a kind of insult to Modi? What went wrong? I would say that Modi has an abstract way of talking and may have irritated Trump. Many are expecting a great reset of INDO-US relations and now this!

https://x.com/Starboy2079/status/187799 ... qSKpg&s=19

Trump broke the traditions and invited following leaders in his swearing

1. Xi Jinping (China)
2. Georgia Meloni (Italy)
3. Victor Orben (Hungary)
4. Nayib Bukele (El Salvador)
5. Javier Milei (Argentina)
6. Bolsenaro (Brazil)
7. Eric Zemmour (France

[vera_k]

Cannot happen in January for the same reason Trump turned down prior invite to India R-day. January is a busy month for public events in both countries.

[chetak]

S Jaishankar To Attend U.S President-Elect Donald Trump's Swearing-In Ceremony On 20 January

External Affairs Minister to represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the President-Elect of the USA
January 12, 2025

On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the Swearing-In Ceremony of President-Elect Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America.

2. During the visit, EAM will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming Administration, as also some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion.

New Delhi
January 12, 2025

https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/38906

[Cyrano]

Eric Zemmour is a total DHead and AHole all in one. If he is going then NaMo will not.

[chetak]

Eric Zemmour is a total DHead and AHole all in one. If he is going then NaMo will not.

Cyrano ji,


relationship repairs may be on the US france agenda.

They amrikis and the aussies along with the britshits shafted the frenchies pretty brutally during the AUKUS submarine deal

the frogs are a vengeful culture and not in the least forgiving of any slights to the honneur français, especially slights related to money and profits


BTW, India has been invited by the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, and the Indian response is diplomatically weighted, as well as, politically appropriate under the circumstances

[Cyrano]

As someone who has lived in France for many years, I see the French political landscape has become a zoo. Left wing loonies and unhinged greens, crony looters called the macronie in the center, spineless rightwing happy to get free salary and wants no responsibility, and fringe Frexiters in Gaullist tradition who cant convince the people of impending doom - make up this zoo.

If Trudeau has tarnished Canada, Macron has done many times worse. He has decimated the credibility of politicians across the spectrum both within and outside the country. French exception has become French excretion. France has become largely irrelevant in the global scheme of things, has lost vision, courage, integrity, beauty and bon humeur and is a country where the only alternative to collective depression is seen as public depravity in the popular psyche. C'est triste. Vraiment.

India can help save France by pulling it out of EU and into BRICS. Else no one else will care, least of all a Trump led America.

[prasan]

[Lisa]

https://archive.ph/1BVfa

Joe Biden imposes export controls on chips used for AI to limit China

also

https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-art ... abe3e47d20

"The allies without restrictions include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

Users outside of these close allies could purchase up to 50,000 graphics processing units per country. There would also be government-to-government deals which could bump up the cap to 100,000 if their renewable energy and technological security goals are aligned with the United States.

Institutions in certain countries could also apply for a legal status that would let them purchase up to 320,000 advanced graphics processing units over two years. Still, there would be limits as to how much AI computational capacity could be placed abroad by companies and other institutions.

Also, computer chip orders equivalent to 1,700 advanced graphics processing units would not need a license to import or count against the national chip cap, among the other standards set by the framework. The exception for the 1,700 graphics processing units would likely help to meet the orders for universities and medical institutions, as opposed to data centers."

[A_Gupta]

In the final days of the first Trump administration:
Jan 12, 2021
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-12/ ... d/13052216

In early 2018 President Donald Trump endorsed a strategy for the Indo-Pacific developed by his National Security Council through the course of 2017.

7.30 has obtained a national security briefing prepared by the White House.

The document was previously classified "secret" and "not for foreign nationals". It was officially declassified last week — 30 years earlier than would normally be the case — and will be officially released on Wednesday.

That document can be read here:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents ... o-pacific/

While there has been quite a bit of continuity in Indo-Pacific strategy from Trump to Biden, now that Trump is returning to office, BRFers might want to re-read this document.

[KL Dubey]

BTW, India has been invited by the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, and the Indian response is diplomatically weighted, as well as, politically appropriate under the circumstances

Correct reading this time.

Wrong on Akhand Bharat. I will reply later. Trying to limit my posts to 1-2 a week.

[Vayutuvan]

Wrong on Akhand Bharat. I will reply later. Trying to limit my posts to 1-2 a week.

Thank you sir. Appreciate your being sensitive to others on this august forum.

[pravula]

Why are there no comments on Modi not getting the invite to the swearing-in ceremony of Trump? From the News reports, I saw that the below-given list of invitees is there. Isn't it a kind of insult to Modi? What went wrong? I would say that Modi has an abstract way of talking and may have irritated Trump. Many are expecting a great reset of INDO-US relations and now this!

https://x.com/Starboy2079/status/187799 ... qSKpg&s=19

Trump broke the traditions and invited following leaders in his swearing

1. Xi Jinping (China)
2. Georgia Meloni (Italy)
3. Victor Orben (Hungary)
4. Nayib Bukele (El Salvador)
5. Javier Milei (Argentina)
6. Bolsenaro (Brazil)
7. Eric Zemmour (France

Public invite only happens when both parties agree, otherwise it always looks like a snub.

[Hriday]

^^
I don't think so. If Modi got an invitation and he was unable to attend due to genuine cases, then it would have been major news. Several such news had been there in the past if I remember correctly.

[drnayar]

^^
I don't think so. If Modi got an invitation and he was unable to attend due to genuine cases, then it would have been major news. Several such news had been there in the past if I remember correctly.

why would JS get an invite but not Modi ?!!..

[Cyrano]

Unless already an ally country, a head of state going to Trump's inauguration will be seen as
- Sign of deep personal friendship or
- A kind of kowtowing to the great world leader
Both are not true for NaMo.

On top of this, it will be a moment to hobnob with other heads of state who are allies or wannabee friends, mostly europeans who clamoured for sanctions on India after start of Ukraine war - NaMo will only meet them as required, no more.

Sending Dr SJ who can, precisely because he is not HoS can give it back in ways NaMo prefers not to, is the right move.

[drnayar]

Unless already an ally country, a head of state going to Trump's inauguration will be seen as
- Sign of deep personal friendship or
- A kind of kowtowing to the great world leader
Both are not true for NaMo.

On top of this, it will be a moment to hobnob with other heads of state who are allies or wannabee friends, mostly europeans who clamoured for sanctions on India after start of Ukraine war - NaMo will only meet them as required, no more.

Sending Dr SJ who can, precisely because he is not HoS can give it back in ways NaMo prefers not to, is the right move.

I think the invite for India was discussed but not publicized for varying reasons.,both India and China were invited

[A_Gupta]

The Trump doctrine on the Indo-Pacific includes "Cooperate with China when beneficial to US interests", in the meantime deploy all its alliance countries and partners to take up anti-China positions. But India will also cooperate with China when beneficial to Indian interests. That is an irritant in the relations.

[chetak]

[Manish_P]

^ Has the invitation been extended to the governor of the would be 51st State?

[Mort Walker]

We missed the news here that Eric Garcetti resigned yesterday.

[vera_k]

LA wildfires: US Ambassador Eric Garcetti shares impact on his family - ‘Parents, daughter, grandchildren displaced’

[Amber G.]

Meanwhile : Celebrating a small win for not allowing Indian and Hindu students to be ethnically profiled or targeted simply for existing. .. Thank you Rutgers for upholding the law and keeping Truschke's types in their place.

Rutgers University will NOT add “caste” as a separate category to the university’s non-discrimination policy!

Rutgers rejected the demand of an @ruaaup panel led by anti-Hindu ideologue Audrey Truschke, agreeing with HAF’s position that “caste” is already covered under existing policy.

[vimal]

We missed the news here that Eric Garcetti resigned yesterday.

Might be going back to LA for firefighting duties.

[Amber G.]

Central panel recommends legal action against 'individual' for 'undermining security interests of India, US

A high-level enquiry committee set up by the Centre in November 2023 has recommended legal action against an individual regarding "activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US".


In a statement released on Wednesday, the MHA, without taking any names, said: "On receipt of information provided by US authorities regarding activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, a high-powered Enquiry Committee was set up by the Govt. of India in November 2023."

"The Enquiry Committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side. It received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection."

"After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry. The Enquiry Committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously."
"The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this."


The Centre had set up a high-level panel in November 2023 shortly after concerns were raised by US authorities about security risks stemming from the alleged assassination plot of pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York...


.

[sanjayc]

Meanwhile : Celebrating a small win for not allowing Indian and Hindu students to be ethnically profiled or targeted simply for existing. .. Thank you Rutgers for upholding the law and keeping Truschke's types in their place.

Rutgers University will NOT add “caste” as a separate category to the university’s non-discrimination policy!

Rutgers rejected the demand of an @ruaaup panel led by anti-Hindu ideologue Audrey Truschke, agreeing with HAF’s position that “caste” is already covered under existing policy.

How about religious discrimination against heathens? Is that covered too, or no?

[Yayavar]

Meanwhile : Celebrating a small win for not allowing Indian and Hindu students to be ethnically profiled or targeted simply for existing. .. Thank you Rutgers for upholding the law and keeping Truschke's types in their place.

Rutgers University will NOT add “caste” as a separate category to the university’s non-discrimination policy!

Rutgers rejected the demand of an @ruaaup panel led by anti-Hindu ideologue Audrey Truschke, agreeing with HAF’s position that “caste” is already covered under existing policy.

Good. Small win. Thx for the news.

[Amber G.]

US Consulate in Bengaluru opening on January 17th. Interesting video of External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar with @Tejasvi_Surya

"What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak!"