Modi Wraps Up US Visit Without Meeting Trump, Despite Earlier Claims

Feature and Cover Modi Wraps Up US Visit Without Meeting Trump Despite Earlier Claims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his three-day official visit to the United States, notably avoiding a meeting with former President Donald Trump, despite the latter’s public announcement of such a meeting. Trump had claimed at a rally in Flint, Michigan, that Modi would join him, but this encounter did not materialize.

According to Fox News, Modi was expected to attend Trump’s rally on Long Island on Sunday, yet despite Trump’s comments, Indian officials had dismissed the possibility of such a meeting even before Modi left for the U.S. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that there was no “specific meeting at present” planned with the former President.

Throughout his U.S. visit, Modi participated in several high-profile events. He attended the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, addressed a large gathering of Indian-Americans on Long Island, met with U.S. technology leaders, and spoke at the United Nations’ Summit of the Future on Monday. Additionally, Modi held bilateral meetings with world leaders on each of the three days of his visit. However, despite the political significance of this trip, Modi chose not to meet either of the U.S. presidential candidates—Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

The decision not to meet Trump raised eyebrows, particularly after Trump claimed at a rally that Modi, his “fantastic friend,” would be coming to the U.S. specifically to see him. “He’s fantastic. I mean, fantastic, man. A lot of these leaders are fantastic,” Trump told supporters during the town hall event in Flint, Michigan, just days before Modi’s visit.

Modi Declines to Reignite ‘Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar’

This recent decision stands in stark contrast to Modi’s previous engagements with Trump, where he had, in subtle ways, endorsed Trump’s re-election. During Trump’s presidency, Modi demonstrated a strong camaraderie with him, and the two leaders were often portrayed as having a solid personal bond, underscored by shared political ideologies. Both had been vocal about policies aimed at bolstering their respective countries’ self-reliance, with Modi’s “Make in India” campaign drawing parallels to Trump’s “America First” approach.

The friendship between the two became a focal point in global media, particularly during the 2019 “Howdy, Modi” rally in Houston. At the time, Trump was seeking a second term as president, and Modi, as a foreign leader, shared the stage with him at an event attended by 50,000 Indian-Americans, a crucial voter demographic for Trump. It was at this event that Modi famously said, “Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar,” which loosely translates to “This time, it’s Trump’s government,” a statement seen by many as an endorsement of Trump’s re-election campaign.

Modi’s enthusiastic participation in the “Howdy, Modi” rally had a significant impact, particularly among Indian-American voters, many of whom tend to lean Republican. Trump capitalized on this moment, portraying himself as a strong ally of the Indian community in the U.S.

In February 2020, Modi hosted Trump for the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad, India, where over 100,000 people gathered to welcome the American president. This grand reception further reinforced the idea that the two leaders shared a close bond, and it was widely seen as a strategic move to boost Trump’s appeal among Indian-American voters during his re-election campaign.

However, this year, there was a noticeable absence of similar support or endorsement from Modi. While Trump had publicly expressed expectations of a meeting, Modi’s decision to avoid such an encounter suggests a deliberate move to distance himself from the former president, particularly as the U.S. political landscape shifts ahead of the 2024 election.

Despite the close rapport they had shared in the past, Modi’s decision not to meet Trump or endorse him this time could reflect a shift in India’s foreign policy approach. As the U.S. gears up for another highly charged election, Modi may be seeking to maintain neutrality or avoid appearing to favor one candidate over another. This could also signal India’s broader strategy of focusing on strengthening ties with the current U.S. administration and other global leaders, rather than becoming entangled in American electoral politics.

By refraining from repeating the “Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar” slogan or attending a rally with Trump, Modi has shown a more cautious approach, likely aimed at preserving India’s diplomatic flexibility. While the earlier endorsements helped to solidify India’s ties with Trump during his presidency, the political climate has since changed, and Modi may be recalibrating his approach accordingly.

In contrast to the past, where personal rapport between leaders took center stage, this visit demonstrated Modi’s emphasis on formal bilateral relations and multilateral engagements. His meetings with U.S. tech leaders, participation in the Quad Leaders’ Summit, and address at the U.N. Summit of the Future highlight India’s growing global role. By choosing to focus on these aspects of the visit, rather than rekindling a personal alliance with Trump, Modi underscored India’s priorities in a rapidly changing international order.

The lack of a meeting with Trump, despite the latter’s anticipation, sends a clear signal that India is focused on its broader foreign policy agenda, rather than being swayed by the dynamics of U.S. domestic politics. It also reflects a shift in the nature of diplomacy, where leaders may prefer to focus on long-term strategic partnerships rather than short-term political alignments.

Ultimately, Modi’s visit to the U.S. highlighted India’s increasing influence on the world stage, while his decision to skip a meeting with Trump marked a significant departure from the past. Whether this decision will have any impact on Trump’s re-election efforts remains to be seen, but it certainly underscores India’s cautious and calculated approach to international relations in an era of global uncertainty.

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