TOI correspondent from Washington: While literally strong-arming India to lower tariffs and buy more American goods to bridge the trade gap between the two sides, US President Donald Trump on Thursday agreed to address India’s security concerns, including acting against subversive forces in the US like Khalistani separatists, and announcing the imminent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a former Pakistani Army doctor convicted of providing support to the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
“We are giving a very violent man [Tahawwur Rana] back to India immediately. There are more to follow because we have quite a few requests. We work with India on crime, and we want to make things better for India,” Trump said at a joint White House presser with Modi.
Trump also said that Washington and New Delhi will be working together to confront “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.” A joint statement that followed the talks commits the Trump administration to take “decisive action” against groups that threaten India’s territorial integrity.
Khalistani separatists have had a free run in the US and Canada under liberal and Democratic administrations, attacking Indian missions and threatening Indian diplomats. Even as the two sides were meeting, the US Park police dispersed Khalistani radicals carrying provocative placards saying “Kill Modi Politics” demonstrating in Lafayette Park across the White House, while pro-India groups and demonstrators agitating against the Islamic radicalisation in Bangladesh remained on the grounds.
At the presser, Trump denied there was any US role in the events in Bangladesh, while appearing to cede handling the issue to India. “There was no role for our deep state. This is something that the Prime Minister has been working on for a long time. Frankly, I’ve been reading about it, I will leave Bangladesh to the Prime Minister,” he said.
Modi in turn supported Trump’s initiative to end the Russia-Ukraine war, saying he hoped the US President would succeed in the endeavor. There was a mistaken notion that India is neutral in the dispute, but India is for “shanti” (peace), he said.
Meanwhile, the US President offered to help defuse tensions between India and China, saying, “I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on. If I could be of help, I’d love to help because that should be stopped. That’s been going on for a long time and it’s quite violent.”
Indian officials later turned down the offer, citing New Delhi’s long-standing bilateral approach in such matters. In December, India and China resumed talks about their border dispute after nearly five years of stand-off
