Trump’s India visit: Ahmedabad, Agra, Delhi may be stops

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is expected to start a three-day visit to India with a Feb 23 event in Ahmedabad, an Indian version of PM Modi’s “Howdy Modi” show in Houston that will be substantially bigger, before going on to Delhi and

Agra.

THE US PRESIDENT IS LOOKING AT THE RALLY AS A WAY TO BOOST HIS PITCH TO GUJARATIS IN THE U.S., AND DRAW THE INDIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AWAY FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

WASHINGTON:US President Donald Trump is expected to start a three-day visit to India with a February 23 event in Ahmedabad, an Indian version of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Howdy Modi” show in Houston that will be substantially bigger, before going on to Delhi and Agra, before he heads home, according to people close to discussions for the trip.

With the impeachment trial over and done with — the US senate acquitted the President on Wednesday of both charges made in the two articles of impeachment — the visit (which was first reported by HT in January) is now definitely on, said the people, who requested anonymity.

A trade deal is expected to be the crowning achievement of the visit, and the two sides are trying to have it ready by then, but the people familiar with the discussions insisted that the visit was not tied to the deal, and that it will go ahead even if an agreement is not reached by then.

But every effort is being made to resolve pending issues, especially last-minute demands from the American side. US trade representative Robert Lighthizer, President Trump’s chief trade negotiator who has struck up a relationship with commerce minister Piyush Goyal over several meetings and phone calls, is expected to visit India next week to resolve those differences, according to the people.

President Trump is most enthusiastic about the rally in

Ahmedabad. He had, in fact, asked for it specifically, according to these people, impressed by the “Howdy Modi” event he addressed with Prime Minister Modi in Houston last September, which was attended by an estimated 50,000 people.

The US President is looking at the rally as a way to boost his pitch to Gujaratis in the United States, and try to draw the larger Indian-american community away from the Democratic party. Most Indian-descent Americans vote for the Democratic party, but there has been a small yet perceptible shift towards Republicans in recent years, and 14% of them voted Republican in 2016. President Trump made his first pitch to the community in 2016, when he became the first presidential candidate of a major US political party to address a political rally exclusively for Indian-americans, in Edison, New Jersey.

People familiar with the White House’s thinking on the visit said the President has an eye on the Indian-american community with a special focus on New Jersey, a familiar ground for him since the 2016 outreach, and Texas — the two states have the largest population of Indianamericans after California and New York, the two most Democratic of all US states.

Trump will reach New Delhi for a full day of meetings on February 24, and stay overnight. It could not be ascertained if, when in New Delhi, Trump will address Indian Parliament like his predecessors Dwight Eisenhower in 1959, Bill Clinton in 2000, and Barack Obama in 2010.

In New Delhi, President Trump and PM Modi could announce the conclusion of a trade deal as the high point of the visit. If negotiations remain inconclusive, they could shift focus on other deliverables such as defence purchases worth an estimated $ 3 billion.

An announcement is expected shortly of the President’s itinerary. But people familiar with the planning said after staying overnight in New Delhi, Trump will leave for Agra on February 24 to visit the Taj Mahal, a must-see for most visiting world leaders, and will leave for home after that.

The official announcement will also specify cabinet officials and other aides who will accompany the President and one of the most anticipated of names will be that of Ivanka Trump, the President’s eldest daughter and adviser, who is emerging as the key White House figure on relations with India.

India is yet to announce Trump’s visit. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday that both sides were in touch through diplomatic channels. He did not give more details.