THE first ten days of the Trump presidency in the United States, if it has proved anything, it is that Trump will remain faithful to the promises he made during the election campaign. Donald Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders which exemplify his anti-immigrant, Islamophobic and pro-big business agenda.

One of the first executive orders was to build a wall along the border with Mexico. This, according to Trump, is required to keep out illegal migrants. Trump has added insult to injury by demanding that Mexico pay for the building of the wall.  The president of Mexico has refused to do so.  The Trump administration is now threatening to impose a 20 percent tax on goods from Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall. 

Trump has issued an order to review the two pipeline projects on hold, the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access pipeline which has met with strong opposition from environmentalists and native American tribes.  Trump will cater to the powerful oil and gas lobby by lifting the ban on these pipeline projects.

But the most shocking order issued by Trump was the one barring the entry of people from seven Muslim countries.  Citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia are prohibited from entering the United States for a period of 90 days, even if they have valid visas.  The executive order has also suspended admission of refugees for 120 days and indefinitely barred refugees from Syria.  At the same time, the White House has clarified that Christian refugees from Iraq and Syria would be allowed to enter. Hundreds of people from these countries with valid visas were detained when they arrived at US airports. 

This blatant anti-Muslim measure has met with condemnation worldwide. America’s European allies, Germany and France have criticised this measure. Within America, there have been big protests outside the airports of major cities with a large number of people condemning the ban as unconstitutional and un-American. 

Ironically, this measure has been welcomed by the ISIS as it proves their claim that the United States cannot tolerate Muslims living in its country.   This anti-Muslim stance of the US president will only act as grist to the mill of the jihadi and extremist forces. 

Trump is also acting upon his “America first” policy.  As promised in his election platform, Trump has withdrawn from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).  The proposed 12-nation trade treaty, which includes Japan, Australia and the Asean countries was designed by the Obama administration with the explicit aim of excluding and containing China. The TPP and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States would have increased corporate power and strengthened the hold of finance capital while overriding national sovereignty of the concerned countries with the corporates being allowed to dictate terms to government and to hold them legally accountable if their investments are in anyway hampered, or, adversely affected. 

Though the cancellation of the TPP will not be in the interests of a section of American financial and corporate interests, Trump has promised them a bonanza in terms of reduced tax rates and other concessions. At a meeting of CEOs, he said that he would keep his campaign pledge to cut the corporate tax rate from the present 35 percent to 15-20 per cent. 

With all these executive orders, the Modi government could take the position of being a mere onlooker.  Trump’s victory was welcomed by Narendra Modi and the BJP as they saw in him a political and ideological soul-mate.  His anti-Muslim stand was particularly attractive for them.

But then, the latest move by the Trump administration is being viewed with dismay and concern in India.  Trump has signaled his intent to restrict H-IB visas and to stop Indians going to the US to avail jobs in the IT sector.  The IT stocks in India have fallen sharply losing Rs 33,000 crores in the market valuation of the top five firms. 

For the Modi government, the stark realities of being a strategic ally of the United States is staring it in the face.  Having hitched on to the Asian pivot of President Obama and becoming a junior partner in the geo-political strategy of the US, the Modi government will now have to come to terms with the Trump presidency which has no time for the Obama administration’s strategic vision. The protectionist and ultra-nationalist Trump administration is not going to pay much heed to India’s concerns in this regard. 

India should be able to diversify its foreign policy and actively participate in the multilateral frameworks which are emerging. Primary among them is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which consists of the Asean countries and Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.  This proposed free trade agreement does not include the United States. India should also enhance its role in the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. It should give up its negative attitude to the `One Belt, One Road’ project initiated by China.

It is by diversifying our economic and strategic relationships and active participation in the multilateral forums that India can regain its strategic autonomy and independent basis of foreign policy. But the big question is whether Modi can give up his obsession with America and re-orient his approach. 

(February 1, 2017)