INDO - US Relations Trajectories and Trends
Centre for Research in Social Scienc- es and Education (CERSSE), JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) organ- ised a virtual panel discussion on ‘Future Trajectories and Trends of Indo-U.S. Relations: Impact on South Asia, on January 21, 2021
It is often said that when America sneezes the world catches a cold. The swearing-in of Joseph R Biden Jr. as the 46 American President and that of Kamala Harris as the first Women Vice President has signaled a new wave in the realm of the power dynamics of the world, the ripples of which will be felt in every nook and corner of the world. The panelists of the webinar included Prof. M.J. Vinod - Professor, Department of International Studies, Political Science and History, School of Social Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed- to-be University), Bengaluru, Prof. D. Suba Chandran - Professor and Dean, School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru and Prof. Rahul Tripathi - Professor, Department of Political Science, Goa University, Goa.
Dr. Priyanca Mathur - Associate Professor, CERSSE, JAIN chaired the session and gave the intro- ductory comments highlighting the watershed moment of the Biden-Harris victory in world history and the novel path the American Government is poised to embark on. The panelists reflected on all dimensions of this grand event in international relations, through the lens of its impact on South Asia by large but Indo-U.S. Relations in partic- ular. Attended by academicians, research scholars and students, the webinar reflected on this transfer of power with the depar- ture of former President Donald Trump from his office.
Webinar
Highlights
Trump remained out of public view in his last week of power. He was also not part of the tradition of attending the successor’s swearing-in, and was unapologetic for the violence he incited and was unwilling to abandon the false election claims that have been riled up by his supporters. Biden, on the other hand, has been trying to get Americans focused on the future as his team outlined the first steps that his office would be taking towards aiding the struggling Americans amid the pandemic and fulfill the campaign promises he made like climate change, criminal justice, and immigration. He is now emerging as the climate hero for reversing Trump’s decision to not be a part of the Paris Accord and he did it in the first few hours of his presidency. The bottom-line of this new power dynamic is for a “United” States of America. A promise of a President and a Presidency which speaks even for those who acted against them!
There is a growing sense of seeking mutuality of interest with the United States of America. There will be a change in the outlook and a change in the approach on matters of America’s equation with individuals and with leaderships of other countries. Trump’s Foreign Policy will be shaken and stirred, partly indicated by Biden signing the Paris Accord to be a part of