India-US Relations
Since independence, our relations with America have been fluctuating but at present these relations seem to be getting strained. The main reason for this can undoubtedly be said to be the trade and foreign policy of US President Donald Trump under which he is constantly keeping India on alert. But while doing so, he is perhaps forgetting that whatever progress India has made in the last 76 years, it has been done under its specified trade policy and clear foreign policy. India's foreign policy has been based on mutual cooperation and peace and the trade policy has been in line with national interests.
After India's independence, its first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, keeping the mixed economy as his goal, laid the foundation of capital intensive industries in the public sector. But while doing so, he did not ignore the capitalist economy of America. Before starting a steel factory in India, he appealed to America for cooperation in it but America turned down his proposal saying that the steel industry is a capital intensive industry and India is a very poor country.
Therefore, instead of setting up its own factories, it should import steel from America. It was only after this that Nehru turned to the Soviet Union and got its support in the industrialization of India, while on the other hand, America turned to Pakistan at that time and gave it huge economic and financial help. In 1953, America announced to give huge help to Pakistan.
It is also true that before 1947, America was not in favor of dividing India into two parts and wanted to keep India united and strong in view of the growing influence of communists in China, but due to the attitude of the British government, India was cut into two parts and Pakistan was created. The British argued that Pakistan could be made a country between Russia and China, which would prove to be a helpful country for the western countries and America if the need arises. Through this, the western countries can also maintain their hold on the Muslim countries of Central Asia. It is important to note here that after the First World War, the British Viceroy based in Delhi maintained his hold on the Central Asian countries from India itself. This was the reason that India's currency Rupee was in circulation in most of these countries, which continued till 1959. Due to this policy, America's love for Pakistan continued to such an extent that it even stopped the food aid to India during the Indo-Pak war of 1965.
By stopping food aid to India under PL-480, America was directly helping Pakistan so that India's huge population could recognize its strength. Only after this did the Green Revolution take place in India and India became self-sufficient in terms of food grains, but America always opposed India's self-reliance plan and when India conducted its first nuclear test in Pokhran in 1974, America imposed strict economic sanctions on India under its Foreign Trade Section-300 and deprived it of new technology. Despite this, India continued to progress and the situation reached such a point that when economic liberalization started in India in 1991, America abolished various provisions of Section-300. After this, when India conducted the second nuclear test in Pokhran in 1998, new economic sanctions were again imposed. These sanctions were lifted in 2008 when India signed a nuclear agreement with America. Therefore, it is very clear that India is progressing on its own terms and is moving towards becoming the third largest economy of the world. As far as America is concerned, today America imports about 150 billion dollars from India and exports about 100 billion dollars. We have made this progress from the tenure of Pt. Nehru to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but today Donald Trump is saying that there are very close relations between India and Russia under which India imports crude petroleum oil from Russia at cheap rates and then exports it to other countries and earns profit. In this regard, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has made it clear that no country is obliged to buy oil from India.
India is taking measures to maintain stable oil and gas prices globally as part of its trade policy. However, Trump aims to exert pressure on India and stall trade negotiations by raising the customs duty on Indian imports to 50 percent. India finds this unilateral punitive measure unacceptable. Consequently, it has temporarily halted air parcel shipments to the United States starting August 25, although letters and gift parcels valued up to 100 dollars will still be allowed. India cannot accept being penalized by a third country for engaging in trade with another nation. India is not an ordinary country; it is home to the world's largest population and boasts the largest democracy, recognized as a liberal power globally. The United States must acknowledge India's strength. Trump cannot pursue a one-sided approach at any cost.