Table of Contents
DONALD TRUMP SNUBS INDIA
Media reports -Trump Won’t attend 70th Republic Day Celebrations On 2 August, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders acknowledged that an “invitation has been extended but I do not believe that a final decision has been made.”
HOW IT HAPPENED?
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) sent a pre-invite to the White House in July
- The pre-invite is issued to confirm if a dignitary will be free to attend an event, and is followed by an official invite if the head of state says yes.
WHAT SOME MEDIA OUTLETS REPORTED
The decision was communicated by US authorities in a letter to National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, as per reports.
SO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?
No official confirmation as of 28th October 2018 However – A crowded domestic calendar — midterm elections in November and the State of the Union address between 21 and 29 January besides some international commitments — Trump’s visit to India in January was seen as difficult to pin down
STATE OF THE UNION
The State of the Union Address is an annual message presented by the President of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress, except in the first year of a new president’s term. The address fulfills rules in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, requiring the President to periodically “give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”
PREVIOUS GUESTS AT REPUBLIC DAY
- In 2014, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India for the Republic Day Parade when India marked its 65th Republic Day.
- In 2015, United States’ President Barack Obama visited India for the Republic Day Parade when India marked its 66th Republic Day.
- In 2016, France’s President Francois Hollande visited India for the Republic Day Parade when India marked its 67th Republic Day
- COMMENT
- In 2017, United Arab Emirates’ Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India for the Republic Day Parade when India marked its 68th Republic Day.
2018
THE PROBLEM FOR INDIA
With Trump declining India’s invite, the Modi government will now have to look for some other head of state who can be invited as the chief guest for Republic Day. But after Trump’s refusal, it is unlikely that any other key world leader will accept the invitation.
NOTES
India has also been hit by Trump’s pull-out from the Iran nuclear deal, forcing India to slow down its dependence on Iranian oil. Iran is India’s second largest supplier of oil, and the country has been forced to withdraw all imports by November or risk entering into another feud with Trump. The country also came under fire from the US State Department for its deal with Russia to purchase S-400 Triumf air defense systems. The department was considering sanctions against India under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)
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