NEW DELHI (AP) — Donald Trump’s return to the White House has worried many countries and recalculation They stand with the United States, but India appears to welcome the change, which could embolden nationalist leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I know a lot of countries are nervous about the United States today, let’s be honest about that,” Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said over the weekend. India “was not one of them.” He added that a call from Modi “was among the top three calls I think President (elect) Trump received.”

Experts say Trump’s second presidency will likely end in New Delhi’s favor; especially as Modi seeks to reset India’s relationship with the West following recent rows over his refusal to join sanctions against Russia or condemn a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Modi was also criticized for India’s stance. democratic decline.

“Trump’s victory means that the India policies that put New Delhi at odds with the West will no longer be a concern for Washington,” said Michael Kugelman, South Asia director at the Wilson Center.

There may be ruptures in trade, migration and climate change targets, but on balance, “Trump’s comeback means India’s relations with the West, especially the most powerful country, will strengthen,” he added.

Modi has sought to portray India as an emerging global player with a fast-growing economy that can counter China. However, critics authoritarian politics and the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party have deeply polarized the country among minorities is becoming increasingly marginalized and the right to freedom of expression and the press is under attack.

When President Joe Biden honored Modi with an award state visit Last year, activists and groups walked a tightrope as they pressured her to confront Modi over his human rights record. Still, the two leaders made new business deals in defense and technology.

Uday Chandra, an expert on South Asia and foreign policy, said such concerns would not be a problem for Trump. “It is a refreshing reset from the Indian perspective… it is much more transactional.”

Trump, a long-time avowed admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has criticized India’s strategic partnership with Moscow dating back to the Cold War, its record purchase of crude oil from Russia and its refusal to choose a side in the process. It is also likely that he will understand it better. War in Ukraine. “This has been a real nuisance in India-US relations over the last two years… but I don’t think it’s an issue as far as Trump is concerned,” Chandra said.

One of the important issues is trade. Trade differences between the two countries came to the fore during his first term, with Trump calling India the “tariff king” over disputes over agricultural products, Harley Davidson motorcycles and medical devices. He revoked the country’s special trade privileges in 2019, and India responded by imposing tariffs on more than two dozen US products.

This time Trump wants impose a “universal” tax Imposing a 10% or 20% duty on all imports and increasing tariffs on Chinese goods to 60%. India, which sees the US as its second largest trading partner, will be no exception.

“New Delhi will need to do more than adjust its policies to deal with Trump’s emphasis on fair trade,” said C Rajamohan, a professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore.

If Trump also tries to block skilled immigration, immigration could become a sensitive point. Indians have generally been the largest group of applicants. H1-B work visa However, Trump described the visa program as “very bad” and “unfair” for US workers.

Progress on climate change and clean energy could also take a hit.

“India and the US have done a lot on this front in the last four years – but this is something that can be resolved because the Trump administration is more aligned with the fossil fuel industry rather than green technology,” said South Asia’s Milan Vaishnav. Program director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Both Trump and Modi embrace strongman tactics, rely on a fervent support base, and have increased polarization to consolidate votes. Kugelman said that unlike liberal leaders in the West, Trump does not see Modi’s policies at home as problematic or even relevant.

“Both are passionate nationalists determined to make their nations stronger at home and abroad,” he added.

Analysts also point out the personal bond between the two. When Trump visited India in 2020, Modi hosted him an event at the world’s largest cricket stadium.

A year ago, Trump held a massive rally for Modi in Texas and likened him to Elvis Presley for his crowd-pulling power. Modi, who congratulated Trump on X last week, shared photos of the two leaders embracing, smiling and holding hands.

“There is a camaraderie between the two,” said Chandra. “But they are also united by a common worldview that we are in a post-liberal world and that liberalism as an ideology for conducting global policy is no longer relevant. This is as true for India as it is for America.”