Misreading the Biden moment

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Misreading the Biden moment

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• Engaged but not informed: While India has become more and more engaged with the US over past 20 years, leading to extraordinary interest in India in the 2020 elections, the Indian awareness of American social and political dynamics remains extremely low. That means multiple, with some wrong, interpretations of evolving situations, leading to wrong debates.
• A classic illusion: Many Indians wrongly believe that they have a say in the US elections. But the elections are not about India, but about Americans, even if Kamala Harris has some Indian connect. Indians should stop obsessing over how they will benefit from it! The US does not think as much of us as we think of it, due to it being the supremely bigger world power.
• Who is good for India: The question is inconsequential, because it does not decide who wins or loses in the US. India has to deal with whosoever is elected. The only difference in 2020 is that the US elections has gotten intertwined with India's interal political contestations (Howdy Modi, Namaste Trump events). But the truth is, Biden won't be interested in wasting any time 'seeking revenge' for 'Abki baar Trump sarkar!'
• US foreign policy: To expect that the American Congress (435 in House of Reps and 100 in Senate) will now start talking about the Kashmir issue and the CAA law, is a bit too much. They have a range of their own domestic issues to resolve, like systemic racism, before anything else. In fact, many more may be interested in trade and defence issues first.
• Strong relations: The US Congress has supported the Presidents over past 20 years, when it came to strengthening relations with India. That won't change. Joe Biden was the crucial link in Washington who gathered legislative support for India during 2005-08, when the civil nuclear deal was struck. India knows most of his colleagues of that time, who are now going to take charge.
• The real issues: India has to focus on the big issues that Biden administration will now work on - climate change, health security, rebuilding alliances, China trade war, economic security, etc.
• Lesson learnt: India hasn't invested enough in studying the American society and politics. It has focused on day-to-day developments and bilateral relations only. That leads to shallow debates, when deeper engagement is apace. 
• Russia and China: They have invested heavily in understanding American social and political structure. China built that study discipline from 1990s, while Russia inherited what USSR had built. India needs to wake up, and build institutional abilities. 

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