Donald Trump as US President: Advantage India over China?

As Donald Trump clinches victory in 2024 US presidential election, all eyes are on how his return to White House will reshape global geopolitics, particularly relationship between India and United States. Trump, who has repeatedly expressed miration for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi , is expected to furr solidify growing strategic partnership between two democracies.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Trump, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express his enthusiasm for future of India-US relations. Modi said, "I look forward to renewing our collaboration to furr strengn India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Toger, let’s work for betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability, and prosperity."

Given Trump’s track record of championing strong ties with India and his shared strategic interests with New Delhi, Modi's statement signals confidence in future of bilateral relationship. Trump’s miration for Modi, which he has vocalised on numerous occasions, indicates a continuation of this alliance, which has alrey bloomed in areas ranging from defence cooperation to tre.

Trump's "America First" nda: A Challenge for China

Trump’s victory is also likely to have significant ramifications for China. Throughout his first term and his 2024 campaign, Trump has been unyielding in his stance against Beijing. His rhetoric has often been sharp and confrontational, particularly concerning tre, intellectual property, and what he describes as China’s exploitation of U.S. In 2012, Trump suggested that " concept of global warming was created by and for Chinese to make U.S. manufacturing n-competitive," a sentiment that underlined his suspicion of Chinese motivations. His criticism intensified during his presidential tenure, with remarks like, "China is letting us down in that y have t been buying agricultural products from our great farmers that y said y would," referring to tre imbalances and broken agreements.

In 2016, Trump famously said, “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country,” expressing frustration with U.S. tre deficit with China and what he perceived as unfair tre practices. His ministration responded by implementing tariffs on Chinese goods and pushing back against Beijing’s growing ecomic influence.

His aggressive stance against China is unlikely to soften in a second term. "China’s pattern of misconduct is well kwn. For deces, y have ripped off United States like one has ever done before," Trump said in 2020. Trump's critique extended to handling of COVID-19 pandemic, where he referred to virus as "Chinese Virus" and accused China of unleashing pandemic on world.
Trump's rhetoric has often focused on making China "pay" for what he sees as unfair ecomic practices. "Hundreds of billions of dollars a year were lost dealing with China, especially over years during prior ministration," Trump claimed in 2020, underscoring his belief that China has been a major ecomic versary to United States.
Implications for Global Tre and Security

Trump's approach toward China is expected to have a significant impact on global tre dynamics, with implications for countries like India that find mselves in competition with China for regional influence. A tougher U.S. stance against China could benefit India, particularly in terms of tre, defence, and techlogy cooperation.

India, which has been strengning its defence ties with U.S. in recent years, stands to gain from Trump's more transactional approach to foreign relations. Under "America First" mantra, Trump may prioritise partnerships with like-minded nations, including India, in efforts to counterbalance China’s influence in Indo-Pacific region.

In dition to ecomic benefits, India could also find new opportunities in its pushback against China, particularly over issues such as China-Pakistan Ecomic Corridor (CPEC) and territorial disputes in South China Sea. With Trump’s ministration likely to continue supporting India’s regional security concerns, New Delhi could see furr strategic gains.

China Faces a Growing Challenge

For China, Trump’s second term presents a growing challenge. His "America First" policies will likely intensify tre war with Beijing, furr complicating alrey contentious relationship between two ecomic giants. Trump's call for a tougher approach to China could extend to a range of issues, including techlogy, human rights, and military presence in Indo-Pacific region.

Moreover, Trump’s previous comments on China’s influence in international tre and diplomacy suggest that his ministration will t back down from pressing Beijing on issues related to intellectual property ft, market access, and global tre imbalances. This could mean continued pressure on China from multiple fronts, as U.S. seeks to decouple certain aspects of its ecomy from Beijing's growing global presence.

For both India and China, Trump’s victory signals a period of heightened geopolitical maeuvring, where ecomic, military, and diplomatic strategies will play a significant role in shaping next phase of global power dynamics.