Trump's India visit will be delightful spectacle, utterly successful: Experts

President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to India will be a "delightful spectacle" and "utterly successful" by many measures, eminent American experts on South Asia issues have said. Trump along with First Ly are scheduled to visit Ahmedab and New Delhi on February 24 and 25, according to a White House anuncement early this week.

This would be president''s first bilateral visit in third dece of 21st century and also first after his acquittal by Senate in impeachment trial. "I think Trump visit will be a delightful spectacle and utterly successful by many measures," Ashley Tellis, who is Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told PTI.

Trump is expected to get a roaring welcome by lakhs of people when he arrives in Ahmedab, Gujarat. He along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to deliver a historic speech in front of hundreds and thousands of people at newly build Motera stium, largest cricket stium of world. One of most prominent experts on India, Tellis, however, ted that at moment, he was unsure wher tre disputes between two countries will be resolved.

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Senior government officials are tight-lipped on this issue, except for making comments in recent past that two countries are on verge of a tre pack or a mini tre deal. "Although GOI (Government of India) has claimed that both sides are close to a deal, I don't think re has been real progress — certainly ne that will satisfy USTR (US Tre Representatives). We might get some progress on defence sales, but that''s uncertain too," Tellis ted.

"Still, both countries have done well where defence cooperation is concerned under Trump ministration, which is more than can be said for many or US relationships with its allies. I expect this will furr deepen in years ahe," he said in response to a question. "Even if visit n produces only good optics, I'll take it all same if it strengns Trump''s perceptions of India as a friend. Given his mercurial personality and policies, that is t a small achievement — and I think PM Modi understands that well," Tellis said.

Rick Rossow, Whwani Chair in US India Policy Studies at Center for Strategic and International Studies, hoped that two leers can finalise an agreement to remove some of recent tre irritants. "My own view is that India keeps digging a deeper hole in triggering tre tensions--tably through steep customs hikes in its February 1 Union Budget. So, a short-term deal may simply be a reprieve in our tre fight," Rossow told PTI.

Observing that Trump will be fourth consecutive president to travel to India, and second consecutive president to visit India in his first term in office, Rossow was of view that a visit to India is longer a significant event. "India is a large and growing market for exports and an emerging security partner for United States... particularly important as we consider options to furr draw down our forces in Afghanistan and seek a network of burden-sharing in areas where China''s rise poses a threat. India will be important on both counts," Rossow told PTI.

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According to Anish Goel, Senior Fellow at New America and former senior White House official, Trump''s upcoming visit is consistent with long-standing policy in both countries to continue strengning and cementing bilateral relationship. " visit will be a political boon for both President (Trump) and Prime Minister (Modi). India is one of few countries where President is quite popular. So he can expect a massive turut for his rally in Ahmedab. Similarly, Prime Minister will most certainly get a boost in support from hosting President,” Goel told PTI.

At very least, Trump will provide Modi with a welcome distraction from his recent domestic difficulties, he said. "It is an important and positive step in bringing two countries closer toger. timing is also significant as this is first visit by a US President during a year in which he is facing re-election. That itself is a signal of importance of this relationship for United States," he ded.

" deliverables for visit will surely focus on defence and tre. India has alrey anunced USD 3.5 billion in new defence purchases to be signed during visit. And everyone is hopeful that a deal rmalising tre relationship will be anunced," he said.

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tre deal was expected last September when Modi visited New York and met Trump but differences could t be worked out in time. White House would t have agreed to this visit to India unless tre deal was nearing completion in earnest. Outside of tre and defence, deliverables will likely be modest, Goel said.

"It is important for President and Prime Minister to have a comprehensive bilateral meeting in which all critical issues, including Pakistan, are discussed. strategic partnership between India and US depends on more than tre and defence sales so it is imperative that y dress or strategic issues as well," Goel said. 

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