The Stream

Trump and Modi: A meeting of minds or egos?

Tough US-India talks take back seat to campaign-style stadium event highlighting populist appeal of US president and Indian prime minister.

On Monday 24 February at 19:30 GMT:
India is granting US President Donald Trump a warm welcome on his first visit to the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharing the stage with him to inaugurate the world’s largest cricket stadium.

About 100,000 people filled the arena for the ‘Namaste Trump’ (‘Hello Trump’) event in the western city of Ahmedabad. And with both leaders fond of the media spotlight, it echoes the made-for-TV arena appearance that Modi co-headlined with Trump during his visit to Houston, Texas in September.

Analysts have pointed to similarities between the two leaders, with both tethering their political fortunes to an embrace of populism and nationalism. But others say that those analyses are reductive and don’t paint a nuanced picture of the real relationship between them. And they must address several differences between India and the US – from trade and tariffs to the future strategic partnership between the world’s pre-eminent superpower and the world’s most-populous democracy.

The Stream will be joined by Al Jazeera correspondents for a deeper look at the relationship between Trump and Modi and what it means for both India and the US. Join the conversation.

 

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:

 

Elizabeth Puranam, @LizPuranam
Correspondent at Al Jazeera English
aljazeera.com

 

Kimberly Halkett, @KimberlyHalkett
White House correspondent at Al Jazeera English
aljazeera.com

 

Sadanand Dhume, @dhume
Resident fellow at American Enterprise Institute
aei.org

 

Read more:
Modi Prepares to Welcome Trump to India – New York Times
India slum-dwellers sent eviction notices ahead of Trump visit – Al Jazeera

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