Context:
Donald Trump’s move back to the White House has shaken global politics within just a few weeks. Aggression on immigration, trade tariffs, climate policies, and affirmative action is reshaping the world order. Many are still in fear of his unpredictable moves, but India should view this as a chance to reassess its own economic and geopolitical strategies.
Key Highlights from Trump’s Actions
- America First
- Trump reverses the Monroe Doctrine, emphasizing U.S. primacy in North and South America, rather than its role as the world cop.
- Tensions with Canada and Mexico (till now partially rescinded), are a symptom of a new, regional and not global thrust of U.S. economic interest.
- Potential impact on India
- Reduced U.S. involvement in global affairs could create a power vacuum, requiring India to assert its regional influence more proactively.
- Global Trade Disruptions & Protectionism
- Higher tariffs on trade partners (China, Canada, Mexico) will slow global trade, forcing countries to rely more on domestic markets.
- India can be an early beneficiary of new, more favorable trade agreements on its exports.
- The decline of the global free trade model may be an opportunity to impose fairer trade terms on the U.S. and others.
- Climate & Global Governance Rethink
- The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord and WHO gives climate and health policies a backseat to national interests.
- India should reassess its net zero commitments in the light of economic realities rather than Western pressure.
- The idea of withholding U.N. contributions unless granted a permanent U.N. Security Council seat is worth exploring once India becomes a $10 trillion economy.
- Immigration Control & National Identity
- Trump’s measures against illegal immigration derive from more general global anxieties, now also voiced by Europe and Asian powers such as China and Japan.
- India needs to invent a sensible immigration policy that balances economic imperatives with the need to avoid demographic shocks.
- The vote bank politics stemming from immigration should be discarded for the sake of national stability.
- Backlash Against DEI
- The U.S. exit from DEI policies raises the issue of meritocracy vs. quotas.
- Politically, India cannot abandon its reservation system, but must explore alternative models ensuring inclusion without compromising competence.
- The anti DEI movement in the U.S. also works well for Indian immigrants, who increasingly fell under narratives of “caste based discrimination.”
