US Insights - January, 2024

India-US Relations

13th Ministerial-level meeting of the India-United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) in Washington, DC

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal visited Washington D.C. between 10-11 January 2023 to participate in the 13th Ministerial Meeting of the India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum. Before the delegation level talks, CIM also held a one to one meeting with USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai. The Ministers underlined the significance of the TPF in forging robust bilateral trade ties and enhancing the bilateral economic relationship to benefit working people in both countries. Click here to read... [2]

China threat is an opportunity for India-US relationship to make strong agreements, FTA: Congressman Issa

Agreeing that the India-US relationship today does seem to be based in no small part on the China threat, he said, "Having said that, I view this China threat as an opportunity to do with that we did not do."The items produced in China could be produced in India, at substantially similar costs (and) would more than allow for India to substantially replace its dirty fuel with clean fuel, Issa said. Click here to read... [3]

India an extraordinary success story: US Secretary of State Blinken

Speaking at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, Secretary Blinken said the US-India relations have reached a new high with efforts from both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden. Talking about how he and the US look at India, Blinken said, “We see an extraordinary success story and see the remarkable achievements that Prime Minister Modi has achieved under his watch that has materially benefitted and positively affected so many Indian lives.” Click here to read... [4]

Geopolitics & Foreign Policy

Spycraft and Statecraft: Transforming the CIA for an Age of Competition (William J. Burns; Foreign Affairs)

This is a time of historic challenges for the CIA and the entire intelligence profession, with geopolitical and technological shifts posing as big a test as we’ve ever faced. Success will depend on blending traditional human intelligence with emerging technologies in creative ways. Click here to read... [5]

U.S. stays neutral on Taiwan election, with 'no preferred candidate'

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has maintained a neutral stance ahead of Taiwan's presidential and legislative elections, emphasizing that it has no preferred candidate. The position has been described by analysts as "disciplined neutrality" and is based on the view that none of the main candidates pose a threat to the status quo. Click here to read... [6]

Xi-Biden call at center of China-U.S. talks in Bangkok

China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met for over 12 hours across two days in Bangkok, on 27 January. They agreed to hold a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming months. They discussed the next steps toward holding a U.S.-China dialogue on the safety and risks posed by advanced forms of artificial intelligence in the spring. Click here to read... [7]

Officials Propose to Hamas a Six-Week War Pause and a Hostage-Prisoner Swap

American officials are trying to push forward on three major sets of negotiations to bring about a political resolution to the war. The first and the one that U.S. officials consider most urgent is on the hostages and a pause that might lead to a permanent cease-fire. The second is on overhauling the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, the semi autonomous body that administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Third is trying to get Israel to commit to a concrete pathway to a Palestinian state in exchange for Saudi Arabia agreeing to formal diplomatic ties with Israel. Click here to read... [8]

Houthi Attacks Disrupt Shipping, Draw U.S. into Direct Conflict

The battle-hardened Houthis have launched hundreds of drones and missiles at ships transiting the Red Sea, in a campaign they say is aimed at pressuring Israel and the international community to end the war. The U.S. and its allies have been forced to respond, first by assembling a coalition to protect seaborne traffic and issuing an ultimatum to the Houthis, and then—when the attacks persisted—by launching airstrikes which they said targeted Houthi radar, air-defense systems and launch sites. Click here to read... [9]

U.S. and Germany Push to Delay Ukraine NATO Membership Invite

Both the United States and Germany are top donors of military and economic aid to Ukraine. Officials in both countries insist that Ukraine should join NATO eventually, but that now isn’t the time to start the process. They said they believe the immediate focus should be on continuing to supply Ukraine with weapons and munitions to keep up the fight against Russia in the near term. Click here to read... [10]

US Elections & Internal Dynamics

Donald Trump Scores Decisive Win in New Hampshire Republican Primary

Donald Trump won New Hampshire’s GOP presidential primary, propelling him closer to the nomination and a rematch with President Biden, even though Nikki Haley pledged to stay in the race. It also placed significant pressure on Haley to drop out of the race before the contest moves to South Carolina, where Trump is ahead by 37 percentage points in a polling average. Click here to read... [11]

Haley’s Dilemma: How to Diminish Trump without Alienating Republican Voters

Four weeks before what could be the decisive Republican primary in South Carolina, Ms. Haley is trying to navigate an extremely narrow and treacherous path, finding a way to diminish Mr. Trump’s hold on the party’s electorate without decisively turning conservative voters against her the way they have destroyed other Trump critics. Click here to read... [12]

Trump vs. Biden: The rematch many Americans don't want

Donald Trump leads Democratic President Joe Biden by six percentage points in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that showed Americans are unhappy about an election rematch.The two candidates themselves seem ready for a rematch following Trump's back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, with the White House regarding Trump as a beatable challenger, and Trump fuming because Haley did not immediately drop out of the Republican race. Click here to read... [13]