Modi speaks to Trump as India looks forward to renewed tryst

New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated his “friend” Donald Trump on a “spectacular victory” in the US presidential election and said he looked forward to renewing their collaboration to strengthen the India-US comprehensive global and strategic partnership.
Trump, 78, pulled off a political comeback on Wednesday with a convincing victory in the US presidential election in a deeply divided nation, overcoming a criminal conviction and accusations of authoritarianism.
Modi was among the first few world leaders to speak to Trump on phone on Wednesday evening and said in a post on X that he had a “great conversation with my friend, President @realDonaldTrump, congratulating him on his spectacular victory”. He said he was looked forward to working closely with Trump again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and other sectors.
Earlier, Modi joined world leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in congratulating Trump on X. “Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity,” he said in a separate post on X.
People familiar with the conversation said both leaders agreed to work together for world peace. They quoted Trump as saying that India is a magnificent country and Modi is a “magnificent man”. They further quoted Trump as saying that he considers Modi and India as a “true friend” and that Modi was one of the first world leaders he spoke to after his election win.
Congress leader and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wished success to Trump. “Congratulations on your victory, @realDonaldTrump! Wishing you success in your second term as US President. All the best to @KamalaHarris in her future endeavours,” he said on X.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “The truth is that we’ve had experience of Mr. Trump as president for four years already, so there shouldn’t be too many surprises. We know that he’s a very transactional leader.”
Experts said India will be keen to build on the momentum in the burgeoning strategic and technology partnership with the US under a second Trump presidency, though they cautioned that his protectionist impulses could lead to road bumps.
The India-US partnership has benefited from bipartisan support for it in a divided American polity in recent decades, and US President Joe Biden has described the relationship as one of the “most consequential” in the world. However, ahead of the announcement of the full results of the US election, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said the outcome is unlikely to change the US’s trend towards caution on global commitments.
“Probably starting from (president Barack) Obama, the US has become much more cautious about its global commitments,” he said, pointing to the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan under Biden. “President Trump may be more articulate and expressive in that regard,” he said at a panel discussion in Canberra with his counterparts from Australia and New Zealand.
Jaishankar added: “We have to prepare for a world where…the kind of dominance and generosity the US had in the early days may not continue to be the norm.”
Former ambassador Arun Singh, who was India’s envoy to the US during 2015-2016, pointed out that the first Trump administration was supportive of India in many ways in developing the technology partnership.
“This included a higher level of technology authorisation through the grant of Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) status in 2018, and treating India at par with NATO partners for sharing sensitive technologies,” Singh said.
Singh also pointed to the strengthening of security cooperation under the earlier Trump administration, especially in the days after the start of the military standoff with China on the Line of Actual Control in 2020. “The US leased two advanced drones, provided winter clothing for the military and shared intelligence,” he said.
Former ambassador Ajay Bisaria, who served with the World Bank in Washington during 2004-2008, said he believed the rapidly changing geopolitical scenario could lead to Trump investing more in the relationship with India and “doubling down on the contestation with China”.
“This could lead to movement of more private investment and location of supply chains in India,” Bisaria said.
Trump’s protectionist tendencies, however, has led experts to caution that India might have to contend with challenges in trade, especially tariffs, and immigration. “Trump has been very unpredictable and erratic [on such issues],” Singh said.
Bisaria too said trade and immigration could emerge as “sore points” though he believed “Trump 2.0 may be milder on these issues”. He added, “We could have an unpredictable White House but the policies may not be as sharp as the rhetoric.”
Sameer Patil, a Mumbai-based security analyst, said he expects the US to maintain the “same behind-the-scenes approach” in engaging with India on the so-called murder for hire plot. “Knowing Trump’s penchant for rhetoric, there could be support for territorial integrity and preventing anti-India activities on American soil, as he will be keen to set a contrast with the Canadian approach on this matter,” Patil said.