The US has, with considerable strain, ‘decided’ on having a Biden presidency for the next four years. Donald Trump, though, is lurking in the shadows. This could yet be a fait accompli. Trump squandered whatever goodwill he had by his whimsical and aggressive postures, which were not in tune with the styles of democracy. He is paying a price for his failure to gauge public mood and for his casual approach to the Covid-19 pandemic that hurt Americans badly.
India heaved a sigh of relief by Sunday as Joe Biden has come out with a re-tweet in which he spoke highly of the good relations the US sought to maintain with India; principally referring to the Barack Obama period when things changed for the better. That was a Biden season too as Vice President. Biden termed the growing ties between his country and India as a “defining relationship of the 21st Century.” The 20th Century for most part was different. Starting with the Nehru era up until 1990, India remained under Soviet influence and NAM was essentially a Socialist bloc with an Islamic twist too. The 1990s saw a turnaround, also after the end of the Cold War and disintegration of USSR. The ties between US and India are improving though Pakistan remains a fly in the ointment. The US is resolved to take strong action against terrorism. In relation to China too, what matters most for a President are American interests. China’s attempts to control the waves will continue to be resisted by the US. The Quad arrangement would carry forward involving India, Japan, Australia and the US.
As for immigration, Biden has promised to review the H-1B visa policy; good for India. Add to this, the Kamala Harris factor. Biden calculated well when he took her as his running mate. This helped him harness the anger of the Blacks against Trump into votes for him from this prominent segment of the population; and by way of a bonus, he got sizeable support from the American Indians via the ‘Kamala’ factor. Her mixed parentage is reassurance to both Indians and Africans. There, though, will be too little of the personal when it comes to framing of policies.
Republicans are aggressive in foreign policy matters, as was also evident in Afghanistan and Iraq during the Bush Junior season, or with Ronald Reagan vis-a-vis Iran. Yet, Trump did not shake the world. Democrats are seen as doves of peace; and Biden has stated global peace is his priority. It’s time now to watch out how his presidency shapes up.