US-India Ties: Respect and Maturity Prevail Amidst Global Shifts

Even amidst the recent tremors and shift in interests, the personal rapport between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump remains one of respect for each other, said Mukesh Aghi, president and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. In an interview with The Indian Express during his recent visit to Delhi, Aghi also delved into the significance of US top diplomat Marco Rubio’s second visit to India, on the trade deal between the two countries, the H1B row, and more. Excerpts: Q: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is making his second visit to India this year. What do you think the two sides are going to talk about in the present context? A: His second visit this year shows his keenness on partnership with India. Definitely, they will talk about China, West Asia, and energy security between the two countries, as well as improving trade ties. They will also have discussions around Quad, which is critical for Rubio and [External Affairs Minister] Jaishankar. Q. His visit to Reliance’s Jamnagar oil refinery comes in the wake of Elon Musk’s recent comments about Mukesh Ambani. How do you view those comments? A: The comment by Elon Musk is very juvenile. You don’t build a relationship with a state by trying to humiliate a position. If you are a serious businessman, you have to go through the process just like anybody else. Q: How do you see Rubio’s visit to Jamnagar in that backdrop? A: This was pre-planned and has nothing to do with Musk’s comments. Reliance has one of the largest refineries in the world in Jamnagar. So it’s about oil, about energy security, and about closer cooperation. Q: How do you read negotiations on the trade deal? Do you think there will be some deliverables if President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in December? A: India wants a preferential trade deal; they have sought a two-point advantage over neighbourly competition, especially China. And the US has agreed to that. Now the US is trying to figure out how to manage that because India has been asked for an 18% tariff. And it just said fine. Now, you have a couple of investigations going on. And that’s where the President can put in 30% more tariff. Once those investigations are over, the US position will get clearer. And that’s going to push the trade deal forward. Q: In the last couple of weeks, the kind of noises that have come from Washington — be it about H1B or Russian oil — has had many to say that this is not the right moment in the ties? A: H1B is not a right. It’s a privilege. If a country says that they have people who are unemployed, and don’t need to bring in workers from outside until that is fixed, I don’t think from India’s side, we should see that as troubling. Every country wants to protect its citizens. Q: But India’s position is that immigration and talent mobility are separate issues. A: I agree. But at the same time, for the US side, it’s about unemployment. If you can’t basically fulfill your own citizens and give them jobs, that’s not healthy. Q: There was also objection to the characterisation made by Vice President J D Vance, ‘indentured servants’. How was it taken by the Indian-American community? A: Those comments were not warranted. And because it’s mid-term, people just shook their heads and moved on. Q: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said a couple of days ago that every country now has to recalculate its relationship with America. A: Politics is about possibilities. Countries will do what’s good for their interests. And they will recalibrate. They will de-leverage to reduce surprises and risk. That’s what every country is doing now. Q: When President Trump took over in this present term, there was a huge expectation in India because of the personal rapport between the two leaders. Do you think that rapport is intact? A: Never has President Trump come out and berated the Prime Minister in any manner. Prime Minister Modi has not reacted at all, any time. So that shows a sense of maturity and stability between the two leaders. That special relationship continues. The politics may be different. I see a high possibility that in 2027, President Trump will come to India. He has the invitation from the Prime Minister.