US & India: Has the love affair turned Sour?

Donald Trump just did a Thanos and helped assemble an unlikely alliance of the great civilizational powers of the East in China and India duly joined in by Russia which threatens to shake the world order. India and the US were always a natural partner despite animosities in the past which involves the infamous Nixon era. US is bound to ply by its interests and in an unseeming move to cow down its great rival China by trying to protype the great Tariff experiment with India, Mr. Trump has just blown the Lab experiment. Trump and Modi shared a great camaraderie up until now which seems to stand on shaky grounds with the latter not taking calls from the former as reported in the press after the June 17 call in the sidelines of the G7 summit. Trump also enjoys popularity in India primarily because of his no holds barred approach on issues like illegal immigration, terrorism & especially taking on the liberals and woke crusaders head on. Unfortunately, as the question of national interest arises, this is bound to make some of the same supporters angry who are at forefront and raising slogans again the US president and also threats of boycotting America Goods, which at this time seems bit farfetched, yet the bitter emotions have been sown. It will be interesting to see who will roll down first as US with Trump at helm won't give in that easily & will try to push its EU counterparts to apply pressure on the "RIC" bloc and primarily India. With Pakistan ready for subservience, US may use its traditional wartime lapdog useful to exert pressure on India primarily in matters related to Security, River sharing agreements, investments in defense where India would be keen to get US support. Also, with Pakistan reliant on Chinese equipment's and with seeming thawing Sino-Indian relations, it would be interesting to see how Pakistan will manage dual lip service at the same time. It would also be interesting to see how US plays the Bangladesh card which went through a violent shake up last year where US may have influenced the regime change. With China also seeking interest in Bangladesh, India may have chosen the right moment to warm its relations with China on key selective strategic aspects despite the recent and past tensions on the border. But all in all, as experts have pointed out, it's all up to Donal Trump. As Shyam Saran mentioned in a recent podcast, Mr. Trump seems to have a macro level chess moves already planned & it's only he who knows what the next move will be. Abhijit Iyer Mitra also put a significant point, which is, Trump has nothings to lose. Had this been his first term he might still be a little circumspect of some of the decisions. Even if MAGA movement carries on after 2029, it won't have its progenitor. Unless off course Mr. Trump pull up an unlikely trick out of his hat, to still influence the oval office post 2029.

समय महान है

विजय लक्ष्य प्राप्ति
की ललक में
बन रहा शैलीन चरित्र का त्यागी
चाल-चलन हैं विद्रोह के
जैसे बीहड़ के बेताब बाग़ी

तीव्र हो रहा तेरा अभ्यास
ज्वाला की गर्जना
को धारण कर
सोच हो रही ऐसे प्रज्वल
जैसे रक्त में बहुबाँटी
बहे जल प्रपात-सा वेग

टप टप परिश्रम कर इस अनल में
उमड़ उठे ग्रीष्म काल में मेघ

पर संसार का संरक्षक
यही कहे
कि शीघ्रता में करके विलीन्
सफलता न हो समीप

ना बन कठोर अपने आप से
नम्र होने दे दोनों नयन
बूंद-बूंद को पीर कर,
पीछे रखे पद चिह्न को देख
पाए अनुभव को कर ग्रहण

होती है तेरी वृद्धि तब भी
आता प्रयास के अंत में विराम जब भी
पतन के पथ में बस रह जाता है अभिमान
विफलता से न होता कोई अपमान

करता रहे जतन धीरे-धीरे
क्योंकि व्यक्ति को बनाता है समय महान!

T and lessons from Mahabharata

Mr. T has a big ego, so did Shishupala who felt he could incessantly insult his cousin Krishna, without realizing that even the manifestation of the Supreme Preserver has set limits to patience. T also feels that US with him at helm is all pervasive, no power can shake him. He prides on the fact the US possess indestructible weapons which can wreak unforgivable havoc on its enemies. So was Bhasmasura endowed with the boon, by the Lord of Destruction, wherein anything he touched gets burnt and destroyed, which also boomeranged on the mighty Lord himself, only to be saved by a sensual manifestation of the supreme preserver.

This is not to imply that PM of India or other world leaders who Mr. T has rubbed the wrong way, may necessarily be the final deliverer of justice. It is to show the world that the path taken by President of US with regard to his reckless tariff measures or his bizarre claim as being messiahs of peace, repeated chest thumping of stopping wars world over including Operation Sindoor  is bound to have consequences to the one who thinks he is all haughty and almighty.

The modern-day Krishna or Mohini will not manifest immediately. The consequences have started germinating the day when absolute craziness was unleashed and set into motion. Krishna in the form of some world leaders or leaders within the US or even within the electorate of the US, is waiting with patience for Shishupala to commit his 101st misstep or the ones Mr. President thinks are his allies or cronies within his government may actually be a Mohini in disguise. It's important for Mr. T to get down the path he has taken or else it's going to be a cause for his own damnation.