Labeeb Khan
The tragedy of great power politics persists. National interests dictate international relations and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to advance national objectives during his two-day visit to the United States this week.
Washington believes in escaping the Thucydides trap while New Delhi pursues regional hegemony, making Washington’s vis New Delhi’s foreign policy a perfect match for mutual gains.
The bilateral talks between populist leaders Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump focused on Indo-Pacific policies, Indo-US trade, and Indo-US strategic rebalancing.
As international relations are entirely focused on the political economy, the epic “Wealth of Nations” is nowadays a far cry. Instead, leaders focus more on the book’s title and the question of how to become a wealthy nation.
Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit was focused on “economic give and take” to address President Donald Trump’s carrot-and-stick policy.
Trump has recently called for reciprocal trade policies, and Prime Minister Modi has tried to avoid the war of economies.
During Modi’s visit, President Trump also announced the supply of F-35 jets to India. An arms purchase deal means deterrence to China and its political and economic objectives in the Indian Ocean.
A successful defense deal also means the destabilization of South Asia. The imbalance of power will not only compel China to compete with the US in return, but it will also pressure India to balance with China and the region, which will have a profound effect on Pakistan.
For Pakistan, rising India means an aggressive Indian government that would always try to find loopholes in Pakistan.
The meeting between President Trump and PM Modi is not only a diplomatic exchange but also a reflection of the contemporary world order, where great power politics, strategic alignments, technology, and economic interests shape the international system.
In the contemporary world, the quest for hegemony is increasing with each passing day, a continuous defiance faced by the liberal world order. Such bilateral engagements recalibrate the power dynamics.
Power plays an important role, and for the US, sustaining its status quo and escaping the Thucydides trap are the utmost priorities.
As Hansmorgenthau explains power relations, “The balance of power and struggle of power are perennial forces in international politics.” New Delhi is is trying to balance with Beijing while the US is struggling to sustain its status.
Also Read: Trump, Modi Discuss Trade, Defense, Immigration
Modi’s meeting with Trump might mean that both the two populist leaders are of the same nature with mutual interests.
Trump relies on diplomatic support for Gaza and Ukraine while PM Modi is accomplishing its goals of hegemonic interests in South Asia.
In such a global scenario, Pakistan, with its diplomatic abilities, must figure out how to achieve its geo-strategic and geo-economic interests from great powers like China and the US.
Pakistan can diplomatically counter India on the Chabahar project, where President Trump recently pointed toward Iran and stated that it would go for more sanctions on foreign states trading with Iran.
The changing nature of international relations demands a dynamic approach from states. Great power politics is not just about traditional political rivalry; the shift towards economic and technological competition demonstrates what defines power and how international affairs are conducted in the contemporary world.
Also Read: India to Acquire US Combat Vehicles, Jet Engines
Policymakers in Islamabad must work together to achieve geo-economic and geo-technological interests from China and the West. As Alexender Wendt states in his book, “Anarchy is what the state makes of it.”
*Labeeb Khan is a visiting faculty member in the School of Politics and International Relations at Quaid-i-Azam University.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of The Diplomatic Insight or its editorial board. The content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of any particular viewpoint, policy, or action.
