It has been six months since the scrapping of Article 370 that put Kashmir in a state of the lockdown and a couple of months since the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Despite the pressures and protests from all over the nation, the government stood firm on their decision. Amidst all the chaos that is still shaking us, India is on its way to welcome US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump this month. The interesting thing appears to be that both the scrapping of article 370 and the CAA has been criticized by many American legislators.
US President Donald Trump is all set for his maiden visit to India on the 24th and 25th of February. This is happening after the Howdy Modi event that took place on September 22, 2019, at NRG Stadium in Houston. During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally of Non-Indian Residents. It is hoped that this visit is going to strengthen US-India friendship. For the dropdowns, India has been preparing well and good for a warm and memorable welcome to Trump and Melania Trump. Trump was earlier invited for the Republic Day Parade event but he was not able to accept the invitation due to some issues. Now that he emerged victorious after the impeachment trial, he is readying to visit India. The reason for his visit has been cited to be inauguration of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium- the biggest cricket stadium of the world by seating capacity but there are a lot of other reasons behind the screens that hold national and international significance.
The planning chart for February 24 and 25
- The much-awaited program would be held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Trump is expected to give a speech on the event titled ‘Namaste President Trump'
- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev are expected to be present on the day. Many other dignitaries are also invited.
- The main purpose of the visit would be for the finalization of a trade deal. Rumors have been emerging through social media that if India does not agree for the deal, Trump may cancel his visit.
Preparations so far
It would obviously be a grand welcome for Trump and Melania Trump in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- High security and military cooperation are organized for the smooth progression of the events.
- FICCI and CII have been hired to welcome India’s top business executives for the event.
- Gujarat's Industry department is expected to bring in crowds from different regional areas to increase the crowd. Over 1000 spectators are anticipated to be seated on the floor of the stadium.
- Over 2500 buses have been arranged to bring people to the stadium.
- Parking facilities for over 4500 vehicles have been arranged.
Criticism
There has been heavy criticism over the Ahmedabad Government’s decision to hide the slum areas with a wall which fall on the route which Donald Trump will be following. It has also come to notice that the municipal corporations have gone a step further by asking the slum dwellers, who themselves are involved in construction of the wall, to empty the slum areas because the slums would be putting India in bad light. The actions have been criticized as an attempt to alienate those communities and make them feel cornered in their own homes.
What would be the consequences of Trump's visit to India?
All the tweets and social media platforms underline the fact the possibility of Narendra Modi's winning in the 2024 elections is dropping. The reasons for this prediction are various. Very recently USA moved India from the list of developing countries to the list of developed countries. This means that India would no longer be able to take the benefits of the General Preference Schemes which entitled it to receive many subsidies and tax benefits.
It is opined that the visit would provide an opportunity for Trump and Modi to review the bilateral ties and strengthen the bond between the two countries. The following issues might be discussed during the USA President’s visit.
- India has become ineligible to avail the offers given by Washington. Offers are available to only the developing nations. In reality, India now stays far behind in terms of development in all areas like education, health, cleanliness etc.
- India’s tariff-free access to the US market might be on the mind of the Indian delegates.
- India would definitely be forced to buy more US products say for example chicken, dairy products and blueberries. As India would be persuaded to open the domestic markets for US-imports, India would want to export more goods to the USA in order to maintain its trade balance.
- It is likely that India has to buy oil and gas from the USA which is far more costly than that is bought from the Middle East.
- India is facing looming threats from Coronavirus. Methods to develop robust solutions for the same can be on the agenda of both the esteemed dignitaries.
The most recent update came as Donald Trump announced that he might be saving a big trade deal for November after the elections but considering his recent impeachment and the fact that Donald Trump has many a times expressed his liking for Narendra Modi, the possibility of trade talks during the current visit can not be counted out.
Conclusion
There have been several hues and cries regarding President Trump’s visit to India. Had it not been for the mini trade with India, Trump would even have called off the scheduled visit. Even if things turn out to be worse for India, it is commented by many that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be clever enough to turn the plate and make-believe the nation that everything happens for the better.
Written By: Maryam Salim
Edited By: Purav Nayak
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