Howdy Modi: India has entered the stadium. Our work begins now

Entering stium is a metaphor. It means playing in centre court or centre st under glare of international view and scrutiny.  If you think it’s going to be smooth sailing between Washington and New Delhi post Houston event, think again. To what you’re thinking, also d simple fact that such an event-driven by India actually happened. 

As I watched HowdyModi event in Houston on television, several thoughts ran through my mind. One underwrote all. It was that New Delhi h finally recognised Indian diaspora in United States (US) as equals and t just American Indians who left country for greener pastures.  , this was t like previous events. This was business from word go as it should be. re was begging bowl, please, can you kindly think about India in brackets. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of world’s largest democracy and Donald Trump, President of world’s most powerful democracy were paying a handsome tribute to Indians in America as well as publicly including m in a major discourse. re was place for terrorism here. 

Whatever be reasons y left India, y were being houred and respected in highest way possible. se were common people, like you and me, going about ir lives without pomp and pantry. ir tears and joys were being celebrated with pride and equanimity. Beyond all diplomatic translations and geopolitical strategies, it was everyday Indian American who was being houred by two very powerful people. Community service and giving back is as American as apple pie, an everyday thing Americans identify with.  We are peaceful people and we do t harbour terrorists.  

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re is precedent to this in Indo-American diplomatic parlance and settings. This is t comparable to US President John F. Kennedy personally meeting Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in late 1950s when threat of a nuclear war (Bay of Pigs) hung over a world divided into two blocs – Soviets and Western bloc.  India was in Soviet bloc and Washington was hoping to secure a split. This was an Indian Prime Minister inviting an American President to an Indian party on American soil. Entering stium is t just a metaphor. India wants terrorists to leave centre court. 

In all my years of reporting, reing and watching, I have t seen anything like Houston event. or international leer has hand-held a US President literally back and forth on world st. ne.  t a Macron (France), Merkel (Germany), Xi (China), Abe (Japan) or Johnson (UK). Yes, it was orchestrated and yes, it was std, but even getting re is easy task. Hours of diplomatic work must have gone into making Houston possible – that one photo opportunity, that one frame, that one statement is outcome of hundreds of people working to get it right.  Terrorists cant sup at high table. 

Prime Minister Modi ticked off all boxes. meeting with Kashmiri Pundits and Sikhs was for domestic consumption. former was also aimed at United Nations General Assembly (UN) currently in session in New York (NY). All world leers use international media to speak to domestic concerns. President Donald Trump was also counting votes as he hes for re-election in just over a year from w.  This is business as usual. Terrorists have place in a democracy. 

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But, as a Texan would ask, where’s beef?  Are re lobbies at work ask Indians? It is naïve to think orwise. re’s free lunch and phones must be ringing even as I write this. Who will get contracts and will close a deal.   business of terrorism will be called out.

Beyond hyperbole and 100-gallon Texas-like talk show-like platform called HowdyModi, penny one hopes, has finally dropped in Washington. India is t just any or low to middle income developing country that can be pushed around in a part of world that bly lacks a strong US presence. In dition to being world’s largest democracy with potentially world’s largest market, India is strategically placed in a spot Washington loves to hate - Russia, China, Afghanistan and Iran. Democratic India understands democracies with all its warts and wounds. It does t recognise terrorism.

Engaging Houston’s traction and keeping it focused will t be easy. Speaker after speaker repeated that state of Texas was India’s fourth-largest tring partner among American states. My reout is market access for American goods and manufacturing will be stick.  India’s energy needs and how Texas is way to go was also a recurrent me.  I re that as keep Iran away. New Delhi has me it clear to Washington that Iran is a country with which India has deep and long-lasting relations and will t entertain US pressure. India is a victim of terrorism from Pakistan. 

On terrorism, Trump delivered a stinging criticism of Pakistan and placed it on what can only be called a watch-list. This is music to India’s ears, but assumption that Trump and Modi are on same p here is misleing. 

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American President wants an hourable retreat from Afghanistan to leave war – longest in American history – and hopes criticising Pakistan will suffice. Taliban and terror came up often in Trump’s speech. I am sure Indian diplomats recognise consequences of what comes next as y maintain that delicate balance between national aspirations and international exigencies. A free and trigger happy Taliban in Afghanistan and a doddering leership in Pakistan is last thing Indian national security can afford. re’s a deal here with US, details of which we’ll hopefully kw soon.  I hope India will drive this. 

As someone who has luxury of watching and reporting international affairs from a middle point in Europe, I hope India plays its democracy and market access card firmly in return for anything Washington asks for withdrawing from Afghanistan. We cant afford a tre dispute with Washington. Indians did t create Afghanistan problem and we have repeatedly called out Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India. It has taken at least a dece of work by Indian diplomats so see our problems with Pakistan that is an ATM driven terror machine that strikes on call. 

India is neir an ecomic giant r a military super-power, yet. But, it has enabled a new grammar and idiom on terrorism, especially cross border terrorism.  When everything falls into place neatly, I immediately ask – where’s real story? HowdyHuoston must translate into tangible results Indians can see and grasp. We watch and we keep faith.

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