While the Indian-Americans might be a sliver of the USA’s population amounting to just 1% of the total American population they have enjoyed a considerable sway in the country’s corridors of power. India was successfully able to bust Pakistan’s propaganda on Kashmir and with the advent of Trump administration, Pakistan is clearly on the back foot and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has bowed before the power of the Indian lobby.
Imran Khan said the “powerful” Indian lobby in America was playing a key role in strengthening India’s narrative against Pakistan, which was affecting the US policies for his country.
Speaking at a meeting of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA), Khan said, “India’s lobby in America right now is far more powerful than Pakistan’s. India’s point of view always overshadows that of Pakistan and American policies for Pakistan are affected by that viewpoint.” Khan asked the APPNA to make efforts to counter the Indian lobby in the US. The prime minister said the Pakistan government wishes to have an institutional arrangement with APPNA, calling it the most powerful and influential Pakistani group overseas.
Truth is, Pakistan had a free run for decades due to its close relations with the USA. But it is Indian lobbying globally guided by the Indian government’ push, which turned the narrative against Pakistan and in the case of the US, by exposing the fault lines in the US-Pakistan ties as the USA grew increasingly aware of the fact that Pakistan’s tacit support to terrorism not just affected India but also the United States. The fears had merit as the Taliban killed US soldiers in Afghanistan while Pakistan remained hand in glove with Taliban and provided the terrorist outfit sanctuary on its soil.
The advent of Trump administration accelerated the U-turn the US was scheduled to take on Pakistan, when President Trump ceased giving military aid to Pakistan thereby running its terror machines dry.
Measured by per-capita income, Indian-Americans are the wealthiest ethnic group in the US. Backed by their own financial resources and a growing population, Indian-Americans took to lobbying through a network of professional and political organizations such as the Indian American Forum for Political Education, Indian American Committee for Political Awareness, and the US-India Political Action Committee. In 2004, a bipartisan India Caucus was formed in the US Senate, which was headed by Hillary Clinton, Democratic senator of New York, and John Cornyn, Republican senator of Texas. This was the first time a Senate caucus was formed dedicated to a single country.
The Indian lobby flexed its muscles during the passage of the US-India Civilian Nuclear Agreement Bill in the U.S. Congress in 2008 as it ensured that the crucial bill was passed at every stage in the US Congress. The Indian lobby was bolstered when Narendra Modi assumed the reigns of India as he aggressively pushed to woo the then US President Barack Obama. His maiden address at the Madison Square Gardens in 2014 saw 40 congressional representatives attending his address and the applause received for PM Modi’s address to a joint session of Congress in 2016 had widespread ramifications for Pakistan as PM Modi’s frequent visits have reinvigorated both India-US ties and Indian lobbying.
The Howdy Modi event in September only reinforced the global appeal of Prime Minister Modi and the strength of the Indian lobby as even President Trump attended the event, in fact, opened for the Prime Minister, as Trump looked to encash on Modi’s popularity keeping in mind the upcoming Presidential elections in 2020. The 50,000 strong crowd in Houston, Texas was more than twice as large as Modi’s previous one at New York’s Madison Square Garden – a sign of India’s growing soft power.
Pakistan, with increasing dependence on China, is failing to make itself be seen as a respectable ally to the US, while India is a coveted ally with Indo-US ties demonstrating great potential especially at a time when there are attempts across the world to push back against Chinese attempts to influence policymaking. In the United States, after the mood turned against China on trade and security, Chinese-Americans are feeling the heat. According to a recent survey commissioned by The Guardian, “slightly less than half (48.4 per cent) of respondents working for software and internet companies either predicted problems or said they were already happening. Across all industries, Chinese nationals had the highest rates of concern (66.7 per cent), while Chinese Americans and those of other East Asian ethnicities (approximately 48 per cent) were slightly more concerned than those who said they were not Chinese or East Asian (43 per cent).”
Indians are a rising political power in American democracy which is evident from the rise of Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Tulsi Gabbard. While Harris has dropped out of the race, Gabbard is still in the running to win the Democratic ticket for 2020 to take on President Trump. Although less in number they are relatively more successful, a respectable community, and rain massive donations on both Republican and Democratic candidates. Indian Americans have contributed more than $3 million to 2020 presidential campaigns — more than the coveted donors of Hollywood. Indian Americans have also donated more than $1 million to committees supporting President Trump. The Republican Hindu coalition too played a key role in helping Trump win the Presidency in 2016. The venue of PM Modi’s address earlier this year is of great significance. The Howdy Modi event was held in Houston, Texas which despite being a Republican stronghold can emerge as a swing state in 2020. Perhaps, Trump recognises the danger and opened for Prime Minister Modi hoping to win the Indian-American votes which can tip the election in his favour.
In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party played a huge price for their anti-India stance on Kashmir as British PM Boris Johnson went all guns blazing to win over the British Indians. Although the British Indians traditionally voted Labour, the British Indians shifted en masse to the Conservatives delivering a crushing defeat to the Jeremy Corbyn led Labour Party.
The Indian diaspora must be commended as they have made Imran Khan surrender before them after all the hullabaloo.
