Way forward as Trump turns America inward

India must prepare for his buy-american-hire-american protectionism

DONALD TRUMP Friday assumed office as US President, vowing to obliterate “radical Islamic terrorism” from the face of the earth and made a campaign-like speech in which he promised to restore jobs to Americans and protect borders, a veiled reference to pursuing a tough immigration policy.

“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilised world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate from the face of the Earth,” Trump said, in his inaugural address moments after he was sworn in as the 45th president of the US, succeeding Barack Obama.

Trump, 70, took the oath of office in front of about 800,000 people who braved chilly weather to gather at the National Mall in the centre of the capital to celebrate the rank political outsider, who defied all odds to defeat political heavyweight Hillary Clinton in the November polls.

In his address to the nation from the US Capitol, Trump sought friendship with the nations of the world, but made it clear that the US will do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.

“We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example. We will shine for everyone to follow,” he said in an inaugural speech that lasted for over 16 minutes.

Continuing with one of his election campaign themes, Trump said that for many decades, Americans have enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry.

“We have subsidised the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military. We have defended other nations’ borders while refusing to defend our own. And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s IN A powerful appeal to American nationalism and a clarion call to put “America First,” the new President of the United States Donald J Trump has promised to upend America’s long standing commitments to economic globalisation, open borders and expansive internationalism.

As Trump’s America turns inward and redefines its role in the world, India must limit the many negative consequences to its current economic engagement with the United States. At the same time, it must seize the new opportunities for strategic cooperation with Washington by shedding past inhibitions.

Affirming America’s protectionist turn, Trump said: “We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders.”

In a dramatic twist to the prolonged war on terror, Trump has reaffirmed the commitment to work with Russia and other civilised nations to wipe “radical Islamic terror” from the face of earth.”

None of these themes was a surprise from Trump. Through his presidential campaign during 2016, Trump had pounded away on these issues. Given the profound and entrenched opposition in Washington to Trump’s unorthodox views, many had hoped that Trump will moderate and finesse his positions. In choosing not to walk back, Trump has set himself on the ambitious course to change America’s economic and political trajectory after the Second World War.

Trump’s new vision for America would demand some serious rethinking of the approach to the US in India at the political as well as policy level. For long, the Indian elites have either criticised the US for forcing globalisation down the throat of other peoples and of intervening in the name of promoting political values like

Reuters Donald Trump arrives for his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States at the Capitol in Washington Friday.