Modi-Trump chemistry

 US president Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston Monday, organised by Indian-Americans to welcome prime minister Narendra Modi. The leaders of the world’s two largest democracies took the stage together in Houston before a roaring crowd of tens of thousands of Indian Americans, where Modi delivered an unmistakable endorsement of Trump’s presidency and cast their joint appearance in historic terms. The prime minister repurposed his own campaign slogan in India to rally support for Trump in the United States: “Abki baar, Trump sarkar,” meaning, “This time, a Trump country.” Both the leaders spared no effort to compliment each other in more than one way. The event billed as the biggest ever event for the Indian prime minister also provided an occasion for Trump to pitch his re-election campaign speech where he spoke about his administration’s vow to rid America of illegal immigrants and border security. Trump also spoke about the common concern of both India and American over radical Islamic terrorism. Trump’s anti-illegal immigration and border security could not have been more reassuring for Modi, whose government has been proactive in targeting suspected Bangladeshi Mulsim immigrants and intensive plugging of the Indo-Pakistan border to prevent infiltration of terrorists. The anti-immigrant and anti-terror points in Trump’s speech readily found resonance with the visiting Indian prime minister. Both leaders announced a joint front on several key issues, but articulated an entirely new script on cooperation on terrorism. In a scarcely veiled attack on Pakistan, Modi said the “whole world knows where the threads from the 9/11 terror attacks to the 26/11 Mumbai lead”. Modi responded to Trump’s speech on the issue of fighting a decisive battle against terrorism and all those promoting it by asking the 50,000 India-American crowds to give the US president a standing ovation for his commitment in fighting terrorism. Trump was clearly on election-mode to woo Indian-American votes for the US presidential election in 2020.In the 2016 election, Trump won the support of roughly 14 per cent of Indian American voters, compared to 84 per cent for Hillary Clinton, according to an analysis by the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund. Warming to the theme Trump assured the cheering audience that they and India will never have a friend like “Donald Trump” in the US. That this comes in the wake of survey reports that the Indian-Americans were looking more at Joe Biden for President makes it very understandable, as now the race is for funding and votes. Trump began with reference to the similarities in the constitutions of both countries on freedom and equality. However Trump is seen as being far right of the centre as Modi is. In 2015 in his second visit to India under Modi, then US president Barack Obama also quoted the constitutions of both countries that guarantee religious freedom but with emphasis against religious extremism. Both Trump and Modi preside over two of the world’s largest democracies both presently being divided by race and religion respectively. It was indeed a real strategic relationship now with Trump looking for electoral support, and Modi for endorsement of his political agenda and hence the space to carry their respective agenda at home.