Trump and Modi Need The Art of the Deal | The American Spectator

In the ancient world, Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassus formed a triumvirate that ruled for several years. Should we now think a new one has been created in Tianjin, China, by President Xi Jinping of China, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Prime Minister Modi of India — who recently embraced and held hands on the world stage?
The answer is no.
Images of Putin and Xi Jinping wooing Modi in Tianjin are certainly evoking howls of dismay in Western capitals. This is particularly true in Washington, in view of a highly successful U.S.–India partnership that effectively began with President Bill Clinton. The Indian government, public, and media were shocked by the recent imposition of 50 percent tariffs on the country — but that was more an act of retribution for India’s decision to buy Russian oil at discounts than an effort to remedy the 10th-largest trade deficit of the U.S. for goods and services.
Talk of a rupture in India–U.S. relations makes for catchy headlines; however, it is operationally, militarily, financially, and culturally difficult for India and the U.S. to realistically downgrade the relationship. Nonetheless, we should expect diplomatic heartburn in the short term, and announced tightened controls on student visas will cause more stress.
India’s importance to the U.S. should not be underestimated: Fear of China and Islamist jihad as well as potential trade and investment have been unifying forces for decades. Bilateral trade of goods and services, once very modest, has reached over $210 billion, with the U.S. being India’s third-largest source of direct investment.
India is also an important security partner in the QUAD diplomatic initiative and Malabar maritime exercises, alongside Japan and Australia. The U.S. and Indian navies even share encryption platforms for intelligence and interoperability. High-visibility joint ventures in the aerospace and defense sector such as a Tata-Lockheed manufacturing and …