ET GBS 2017: Modi and Trump both pro-growth, pro-business leaders, say experts
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly elected US President Donald Trump will enjoy a strong, positive relationship, a highpowered panel of experts said. Both are pro-growth and pro-business, presenting unique opportunities to collaborate on the trade and security front, they said.
Former US vice president Dick Cheney, Martin Feldstein, George F Baker Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and Boston Consulting Group chairman Hans-Paul Bürkner were discussing ‘India and the US in the age of Trump’ on the second day of the Global Business Summit.
Feldstein said that both leaders are “on the same track” and have common goals.
“I will say to each of them that the other is also a pro-business, progrowth leader – a radical change from their predecessors. If I am President Trump meeting PM Modi, I would say here is a man doing tax reform, who is trying to motivate business expansion in India and that is what I am doing in the US,” he said.
Cheney said that both Modi and Trump have similar interests at heart and a personal rapport would be very important.
“In a personal setting, President Trump can be a very warm and charming individual. I think that certainly they have much of the same interests in terms of their own countries,” he said.
The panel also dismissed fears about American protectionism impacting business ties with India.
It agreed that Trump’s policy is to increase exports from the US and not to reduce investments and ties with other nations.
Speaking on the H-1B visa issue, Bürkner said that the key message to be conveyed is that Indian companies working in the US amount to a win-win for both nations.
“What Indian companies need to make clear is that they are strengthening the productivity of US companies through their services in the US. They are also strengthening the productivity of US people by coaching and training them,” he said.
Bürkner expressed confidence that the issue would be quickly resolved. “I am pretty sure that we will get some solutions beyond a simple reducing of visas by 50% or so forth. I think that by making the ar-gument of strengthening US companies, a lot can be achieved,” he said.
Cheney spoke on the increasing cooperation between the US and China on the security front as well in the backdrop of an increasingly assertive China.
“(China) has long-term aspirations to replace the US in Asia, to move the US out, to make military ba-ses in the South China Sea. They have moved very, very aggressively,” Cheney said.
Feldstein said that it was critical for the US and its friends to be seen as militarily strong.
“The critical thing for the US and its friends and allies is to maintain enough military competence so that no future Chinese leader would want to challenge us or challenge our friends,” he said.
Former US vice president Dick Cheney, Martin Feldstein, George F Baker Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and Boston Consulting Group chairman Hans-Paul Bürkner were discussing ‘India and the US in the age of Trump’ on the second day of the Global Business Summit.
Feldstein said that both leaders are “on the same track” and have common goals.
“I will say to each of them that the other is also a pro-business, progrowth leader – a radical change from their predecessors. If I am President Trump meeting PM Modi, I would say here is a man doing tax reform, who is trying to motivate business expansion in India and that is what I am doing in the US,” he said.
Cheney said that both Modi and Trump have similar interests at heart and a personal rapport would be very important.
“In a personal setting, President Trump can be a very warm and charming individual. I think that certainly they have much of the same interests in terms of their own countries,” he said.
The panel also dismissed fears about American protectionism impacting business ties with India.
It agreed that Trump’s policy is to increase exports from the US and not to reduce investments and ties with other nations.
Speaking on the H-1B visa issue, Bürkner said that the key message to be conveyed is that Indian companies working in the US amount to a win-win for both nations.
“What Indian companies need to make clear is that they are strengthening the productivity of US companies through their services in the US. They are also strengthening the productivity of US people by coaching and training them,” he said.
Bürkner expressed confidence that the issue would be quickly resolved. “I am pretty sure that we will get some solutions beyond a simple reducing of visas by 50% or so forth. I think that by making the ar-gument of strengthening US companies, a lot can be achieved,” he said.
Cheney spoke on the increasing cooperation between the US and China on the security front as well in the backdrop of an increasingly assertive China.
“(China) has long-term aspirations to replace the US in Asia, to move the US out, to make military ba-ses in the South China Sea. They have moved very, very aggressively,” Cheney said.
Feldstein said that it was critical for the US and its friends to be seen as militarily strong.
“The critical thing for the US and its friends and allies is to maintain enough military competence so that no future Chinese leader would want to challenge us or challenge our friends,” he said.
