((India realises too that it has to do whatever is best now, and very fast))
The nominations, coupled with the swearing-in of a record six Indian-Americans to the House of Representatives earlier this month, further highlight the growing influence of the Indian community in US politics.
With 4.5 million members, the Indian diaspora has cemented its position in the American economy and education sectors, and is now becoming a critical force in US politics as well.
President Donald Trump has nominated half a dozen Indian-Americans to key positions, from the FBI’s Kash Patel to other key officials in the White House.
Ricky Gill has been named senior director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council (NSC). Kush Desai joins the White House as deputy press secretary.
Saurabh Sharma has taken on a role in the Presidential Personnel Office.
Meanwhile, the new Congress welcomed Ami Bera (California), Suhash Subramania (Virginia), Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Ro Khanna (California), Shri Thanedar (Michigan), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois).
Traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party, Indian-Americans are now increasingly gravitating toward the Republicans making Pakistan's case much more difficult with the new Trump administration.
Trump’s economic policies, which favour tax cuts and deregulation, have resonated with affluent Indian diaspora.
Shared values such as family, education and nationalism further align with Trump’s messaging.
India has become the world’s largest arms importer with purchases steadily rising to account for nearly 10pc of all imports globally in 2019-23.
At a time when Moscow’s military-industrial complex is occupied with the ongoing war in Ukraine, India has made the modernisation of its armed forces a top priority.
That urgency has risen in tandem with tensions between the world’s most populous nation and its northern neighbour China, especially since a deadly 2020 clash between their troops.
“India’s perception of its security environment vis-a-vis China has been dramatically altered,” Harsh V Pant, of the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation think-tank, told AFP.
Relations between the two neighbours went into freefall after the clash on their shared frontier, which killed 20 Indian and at least four Chinese soldiers.
“It has sort of shaken the system and there’s a realisation that we have to do whatever is best now, and very fast,” Pant said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has also promised at least $100 billion in fresh domestic military hardware contracts by 2033 to spur local arms production. It has also conducted a successful long-range hypersonic missile test.
It goes without stating that India has been traditionally an importer of arms. Thus the switch and the efforts related to the new move is impressive and few milestones actually have been achieved.
New Delhi has encouraged high-end technology push and has also opened an expansive new helicopter factory, launched its first homemade aircraft carrier.
That in turn has fostered a growing arms export market which saw sales last year worth $2.63 billion — still a tiny amount compared to established players, but a 30-fold increase in a decade. India is expected in the coming weeks to announce a landmark deal to supply Indonesia’s military with supersonic cruise missiles in a deal worth nearly $450 million.
High-profile Republican figures like Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy have amplified Indian-American visibility within the Republican Party, further encouraging a re-evaluation of political loyalties.
The deepening US-India relationship has significant implications for Pakistan.
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