INDIAN FOREIGN TRADE: Trumped Up or Down

The world is still spellbound by the phenomenon called Mr. Donald J. Trump – the new President of the United States of America. He has spectacularly garnered the attention of people around the globe, influencing their viewpoint on world politics and international trade; the resultant impression has great consequences for the US and the world. Trump has taken a surprisingly divergent stand against the trade policy that was being pursued by the Obama administration. This has resulted in chaos, and muddied the world trade process. USA is India`s number one trade partner, especially for exports. Any significant shift in the American trade   policy is surely going to impact India`s trade relationship with the superpower, and its domestic economic growth, whereas the agenda set by the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, is to increase Indian exports to the US and move to the next level of trade engagement  (after a very successful relationship with the previous American President, Mr. Barack Obama). It becomes imperative now, more    than ever, to carefully assess this shift and understand its impact on the Indian foreign trade in order to understand whether the accession of Trump as the US President is in India`s interest or against it.

The book attempts to demystify and understand Trump`s approach to dealmaking through current events within and outside the USA, and by studying his past literary writing. It also attempts to suggest routes to strengthen the IndoUS trade relationship in goods and services. It tries to put across few recommendations for the Indian government to help increase Indian exports to the US and how, reciprocally, the American administration can meet their trade objectives. The approach of the book has been simple and suggestive, which would need detailed strategy for implementation.