India Prepares to Counterbalance Any Adverse Implications of Trump's Asia Policy

Donald Trump's ascension to the White House has amplified uncertainty in India. The big question is: will Trump make good on his campaign rhetoric of throwing out immigrants and whether his India policy will impact New Delhi's friends and foes alike.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India is chalking out a strategy in advance in order to prepare for any changes in the American policy towards Asia after Trump enters the White House on January 20. India recently sent a senior dialogue to hold preliminary talks with its two influential neighbours, Russia and China.

According to sources in India’s External Affairs Ministry, senior diplomat Jaideep Mazumdar went to Beijing and met senior Chinese and Russian diplomats to discuss possible changes in US policy towards the Asia-Pacific in the Trump era. Keeping this as the backdrop, they discussed the prospects of a three-nation engagement on Asia-Pacific to strengthen regional security and cooperation within regional and multilateral fora. The diplomats agreed to continue the engagement and hold the next round of trilateral talks on Asia-Pacific sometime next year.

This move signals Indian disbelief in the durability of the “Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean” inked between US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two years ago. The document was in sync with Obama’s ‘Pivot to Asia’ a major US policy initiative aimed at the strategic re-balance of America’s diplomatic and military resources to Asia.

However, given the criticism Obama faced for this policy, Trump has indicated his disinterest in continuing his predecessor’s legacy, raising hackles in India’s pro-West strategic community which feels this will have a major bearing on New Delhi’s ‘Act East Policy’.

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