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The Nepal Eye Program, under the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO), has emerged as a cornerstone in the fight against blindness in Nepal. Established in 1992, TIO has evolved into a comprehensive ophthalmic center with six key divisions: Tilganga Eye Hospital, Academic and Training, Outreach, Research, Nepal Eye Bank, and a Lens Manufacturing Laboratory. Notably, TIO has pioneered advanced cataract surgery techniques in collaboration with the Fred Hollows Foundation and established Nepal’s first eye bank, which has been instrumental in restoring sight to thousands.

Initially, TIO’s location in the capital, Kathmandu, limited accessibility for people across the country. To address this, TIO established Community and Surgical Eye Centers in coordination with local bodies. Managed by the Outreach Department, these centers now number 26, strategically distributed across Nepal’s regions and provinces. Centers have been established in remote areas such as Solukhumbu, Mustang, Ramechhap, Rolpa, Manang, Jiri, Charikot, Melamchi, and Palung, where transportation and healthcare services are scarce. Additionally, TIO has set up specialized community hospitals in Bhaktapur (Khwopa Tilganga Community Eye Hospital), Hetauda (Hetauda Community Eye Hospital), and most recently in Nijgadh (Nijgadh Tilganga Community Eye Hospital) in the Bara district, serving the Madhes province and beyond.

Beyond its permanent facilities, TIO organizes eye camps in rural areas to provide essential eye care to underserved communities. The process begins with a thorough assessment of potential locations, considering both the area’s needs and financial situation. TIO collaborates with local partners and organizations to gather support for these camps. Once the timeline is set, TIO staff visit the selected areas to conduct screening camps, identifying individuals requiring surgery or other treatments. A team of doctors from Kathmandu then travels to these areas to perform free surgeries, primarily focusing on cataracts, the leading cause of blindness in Nepal. Other conditions, such as pterygium (growth of tissue on the eye’s surface), are also treated during these camps.

Cornea donation plays a vital role in restoring sight to those suffering from corneal diseases, a significant cause of blindness worldwide. Eye donation, particularly after death, can greatly increase the availability of corneal transplants. The process is simple yet impactful: one donation can restore vision for two individuals. The Nepal Eye Bank has been training staff to safely and effectively retrieve corneas immediately or within hours of death. These staff are stationed in hospitals and crematory areas, such as Pashupatinath, where they handle consent, counseling with family members, and cornea retrieval. According to the Nepal Eye Bank’s data, 1,200–1,500 corneas are collected annually.

Eye health is essential for preventing and managing vision problems, ranging from refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness) to serious conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Regular eye exams are critical for early detection, as many eye conditions develop without noticeable symptoms. Public education on protecting eye health—through proper nutrition, wearing sunglasses, reducing screen time, and avoiding smoking—can significantly reduce the risk of vision loss. Accessible eye care services and timely treatment are key to preserving sight and improving quality of life.

As a teenager, I have gained unique insights into the world of eye care through my parents, both of whom are doctors. While learning about healthcare has always been accessible to me, observing it in action was truly inspiring. During a visit to TIO, I had the opportunity to tour this renowned institution, which embodies history, hope, and heightened awareness. I visited the Fred Hollows Intraocular Lens Laboratory (FHIOL) within the TIO premises, where the hum of machines and the dedication of workers left a lasting impression. The laboratory produces lenses for cataract surgery, playing a crucial role in preventing blindness. TIO also organizes annual surgical camps for underprivileged communities, restoring sight to countless individuals.

Witnessing the joy of patients who regained their vision and the humility of the staff who made it possible was deeply moving. I observed my mother and other staff members dedicating their time and energy to each patient, which was incredibly inspiring. I also had the chance to watch experienced doctors perform surgeries in the operating theater. Although access to certain areas was restricted, the focus and determination of the surgeons were evident.

Overall, my visit to TIO was an eye-opening experience. As a teenager, I initially viewed it as just another workplace for my mother. However, exploring its various branches, laboratories, operating theaters, and statistical boards revealed its profound impact. TIO is not merely a hospital for eye checkups and glasses; it is a comprehensive hub for eye care, serving Nepal and beyond. It has also become a global learning institute, attracting eye health professionals worldwide. TIO’s philosophy of serving people across all socio-economic backgrounds in the pursuit of preserving vision and curing treatable blindness is truly remarkable. With the privilege of this experience, I hope to spread awareness about the incredible work being done at TIO and the importance of eye health.

Kriti Rajbhandari

Rato Bangla School, Lalitpur

Nepal has long struggled after the Covid-19 pandemic to revive its economy. Every economist in Nepal has been involved in answering one question that is “Is Nepal going into recession?”. Formally, recession is a condition where there is a significant decline in economic activities spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in production, employment, and real income. Economists in Nepal have been dealing with this question with ease but are not even concerned about the microeconomic position of the country. 

The Nepal Rastra Bank has been publishing its macroeconomic analysis, but to date, Nepal lacks a strong microeconomic analysis. Microeconomics is social science, a fundamental department of economics that studies the implications of incentives and decisions and how that affects the utilization and distribution of resources on an individual level.

Nepal has adopted a free-market economy where there is no government intervention. The economic condition of Nepal has been solely reliant on the service market, product market, and remittances. The service market contributes about 55.36 percent of the GDP of Nepal. But only about 11 percent of Nepal’s GDP is dependent upon the production market. Still, agriculture is the top occupation in Nepal about 65.7 percent of the population are farmers. Though these are just numbering; the economy of Nepal is dependent upon the average population and their purchasing habits and behaviors, and Nepal still does not have these microeconomic analyses. 

Nepal has a grand loophole in micro-level economics, for instance, there is no analysis done in Nepal that shows the purchasing habits of people. It is people who set the standards of demand and supply in every free market economy. Without knowing individual habits and how they spend their hard on money, the market analysis is reluctant to a failure.  Nepal’s micro landscape indeed faces significant challenges, practically in understanding consumer behavior and purchasing habits. Without a clear understanding of how people allocate resources, and the factors impacting the spending decisions, economic policies will always go into a static failure. Businesses established in Nepal have more microdata of consumers than the authoritative body in Nepal.

Nepal lacks a systemic and comprehensive data collection mechanism at a microeconomic level. No government mechanism dwells with mechanisms to track consumer spending patterns, income distribution, or the saving habits of people. This absence of data makes Nepal’s economy unpredictable, and the market movement is fluctuant. The prominent part of Nepal’s economy is informal, with high remittance flow, and the hundi system in Nepal has led to a rapid flow of cash in Nepal making the purchasing power of people high. Many transactions occur outside the formal banking system, and small businesses have no financial records. Nepal’s market is driven by luxury goods from the foreign market making Nepal lose forex. These two parts have made the economic situation of Nepal arduous, which has not been studied by the government till now officially.

Nepal’s market is trendy, it is driven by foreign-influenced thoughts from social media. Nepal itself being a culturally diverse country tends to have different consumption behaviors geographically. There is no localized data so it is difficult to understand these variations and tailor economic policies or business strategies accordingly for economic growth. 

To allocate and address this problem economists in Nepal must now focus more on the micro-economic analysis than the macro part of the economy. The government must also collaborate with private sector stakeholders and must invest in the formation of a strong data collection system. They must focus on providing household surveys, consumer spending trackers, and digital payment analytics, to better understand purchasing habits.  Policies should be made targeting the formalization of the economy, the government must track and band the hundi system. Which is leading to high purchasing power and disbalancing the demand and supply system of the economy. 

Promoting research institutions that focus on microeconomic analysis, utilizing technology like Artificial intelligence to monitor real-time spending patterns through digital payment systems, and conducting cultural and regional studies to understand the unique economic behaviors of diverse communities are essential steps. These measures would provide valuable insights, enabling the development of more effective and targeted economic policies, and ultimately fostering and making the economy of Nepal predictable and robust. 

Mithila is a land steeped in mysticism and mythology. Yajnavalkya, the great sage, Maitrei and Gargi, famous women philosophers were born in Mithila. Shaivism and Vaishnavism are two prominent religions of this mysterious land. Though Lord Buddha the Light of Asia was born in Lumbini, Buddhism is not prevalent in Mithila. It is a matter of wonder and a subject of research. 

Shaivism is the oldest religious cult prevalent in Mithila and it has a deep impact on the life and culture of the people of this land. There is a Shiva temple in each and every village of Mithila. It is believed that if Shiva is invoked sincerely, he is pleased immediately and fulfills the desires and ambitions of his devotees in no time. So Shaivism is very popular and still predominantly prevalent in Mithila.

Nepal is known as a holy land of Shiva because of the world famous temple of Lord Pashupati from the Vedic period. This truth has also been proved that Shiva is a Vedic God. He is also believed to be a God of creation, sustenance, decadence and destruction. It is believed that there is a strong philosophical background of Shaivism in Mithila from time immemorial. Thus shaivism has a distinct and deep influence on the daily life of the Hindu community in Mithila. The people of Mithila worship Lord Shiva Maheshwar (the great Lord of all gods) on the auspicious occasion of Shivaratri that is thirteenth day of dark, fortnight of phalguna (February/March). Kalhan in his Rajatarangani states that on this auspicious occasion, the king also observed it with great respect and reverence. The court artists performed several programs of dancing and singing. Poetic gatherings were also organized. The poets were praised and rewarded for their works. Feasts were served to the invited guests on this holy occasion.

Alberuni has stated that “on the following nights…. they worship Mahadev during the whole night they remain awake, and do  not lie down to sleep and offer to him perfumes and flowers.” On Shivaratri, people of all classes go to nearby temples to worship the ‘lingam’, the aniconic representation of Shiva. Lingam is believed to have five faces. Four faces are carved in four directions and the fifth face faces upward. There are eight forms of Lord Shiva: the eight forms constitute the five gross material elements: the sharra, the sun and the moon. Their descriptions are as follows:

• Sharra: This form of lord shiva consists of the earth holding the mobile and immobile beings.
• Bhara: This form of the supreme soul consists of water that encircles the entire world.
• Ugra: This form of the Lord Shiva is the wind that holds the outer and inner universe and throbs by itself.
• Bheema: This form consists of the firmament (Ether) that pervades everything and affords space to all.
• Pashupati: This form of lord shiva is the support of the individual soul which delivers them from bondage.
• Ishana: This form of Lord Shiva is the sun that moves about in the heaven brightening the entire universe according to the Rupamandana, should have the colour as pure as that of the crystal, his head should be adorned with a Jatamukuta ornamented with the crescent moon and his hands should have the Akshamala, Trishula, Kapola and Aabhaya. The Lord of the north-east region of the universe is called Ishana. The deity Ishana representing the Karmasada has a perfectly white body representing the flower of the Kunda (a kind of jasmine) or the full moon, having five heads adorned with Jatamukutas; bearing on each face three eyes, ten arms and two legs. He is standing on a Padmasana and keeps in his right hands the Sula, Parsu, Khadga, Vajra and Abhaya and in the left ones the Nagapasa, ankusa ghanta, and agni. He is beautifully adorned with all ornaments,draped in fine clothes and is with a smiling countenance full of peacefulness.
• Mahadeva: This form of Lord Shiva is the moon of nectarine rays that strengthens and flattens the universe.
• Rudra: This form of Lord  Shiva dwells in every creature as his soul. The whole universe is pervaded by this form of Rudra.

The twelve Jyotirlingas

According to the Shiva Purana, while the entire universe is considered a manifestation of Lord Shiva’s Jyotirlinga, twelve Jyotirlingas on Earth hold special significance. Consuming and distributing the sacred food offerings (prasadam) from these Jyotirlingas is believed to instantly cleanse sins. The Somanatha Jyotirlinga is located in Veraval, Gujarat, about 54 km from Junagarh, with Rajkot as the nearest airport. The Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga is in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, with Indore as the closest airport. The Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga is situated in Rudra Prayag, Uttarakhand, with Delhi being the nearest airport. The Bhim Shankara Jyotirlinga, found in Dakini, Maharashtra, is 160 km from Pune, which also has the nearest airport. The Vishweshwora Jyotirlinga is in Kashi (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh, with Varanasi Airport nearby. The Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is located in Setubandha (Rameshwaram), Tamil Nadu. The Girishneshwara Jyotirlinga is in Berul (Shivalaya), Maharashtra, about 27 km from Aurangabad, which has the closest airport. The Nageshwara Jyotirlinga is in Darukavana, Maharashtra, about 210 km from Aurangabad, where the nearest airport is located. The Triyambakeshwara Jyotirlinga is in Brahmagiri, Maharashtra, 39 km from Nasik, with Mumbai as the nearest airport. The Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga is in Parli, Maharashtra, about 230 km from Aurangabad, which serves as the nearest airport. The Omkareshwara Jyotirlinga is located on the banks of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, 80 km from Indore, where the nearest airport is situated. The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is in Srishaila, Andhra Pradesh, about 250 km from Hyderabad, which has the closest airport. Additionally, the people of Mauritius consider Maurisheshwar Jyotirlinga as the thirteenth Shivalinga.

It has been stated before that shiva is a very complex and complicated God. I would like to quote here:

“Shiva is probably the most complicated of Hindu deities indeed even Hindus themselves recognize this by putting this shrine in the temple separate from those of other deities.” (Jeaneane Fowler: Hinduism P33)

According to the ancient scripture, Shiva manifests himself in the form of a huge flaming linga (Jyotirlinga) on the auspicious occasion of Shivaratri to bestow his gracious mercy on His devotees. They worship Him and keep vigil the whole night at least with one leaf of the Bilwa tree. They also fast on the auspicious occasion of Shivaratri.

According to the Isana Samhita, Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a huge Jyotirlinga, to determine who is the greatest divinity among trinity (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma). To settle the quarrel and determine the divinity, the three gods agreed that he should be considered the greatest, who should first find out the end of the blazing clum of fire, which was burning before them. According to this agreement, Vishnu undertook to reach the base and Brahma the top, but they never succeeded in this search in a thousand years of time. They returned being disappointed and desperate. They confessed the superior supernatural power of Lord Shiva. This proves the supremacy of Shiva over Vishnu and Brahma.

All people irrespective of caste and creed are permitted to worship Shiva on this holy occasion. The poor people are satisfied by pouring pure water with Bilwa trees’ leaves and fresh flowers. Rich people offer sweets and several kinds of gifts to Lord Shiva on this auspicious occasion. Lord Shiva especially prefers the offering of Bilwa leaves, (Bel or Bengal quince (Shriphal) meaning the fruit of plenty) Dhatura (thorn apple), Akchhat (rice, and sandal paste.)

Devotees of Shiva throng to the Shiva temples to offer prayers on this pious occasion. They sing devotional songs which are called Nachari. They sing and dance on this delightful day because Lord Shiva also dances the heavenly dance of Creation, Preservation and Destruction. Music itself has originated from the damaru (a musical instrument) of Lord Shiva. So the devotees of Lord Shiva spend the whole night reading the Shiva Purana and chanting Shiva bhajans.

The Mahashivaratri festival is related to this folk story too. A hunter whose name was Suswar was compelled to spend the night on the branches of Bilwa tree on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri without food. So he wept bitterly on that night. His tears rolled down on the image of Lord Shiva with withered leaves of the Bilwa tree. In the Hindu mythology Shiva is described as intimately associated with this tree. The devotees of Shiva tie to their pig- tails (Shikha) the bel leaves because they are considered sacred and pious and pleasing to their favourite Lord). If he is invoked with these offerings, he is supposed   to be pleased soon. He assumed that this true devotee was worshipping him sincerely. Consequently He blessed the hungry hunter. It is believed that he was born in a royal family in the pre-birth. So Maha Shivaratri is considered the festival of rags to riches in the true sense of the term because Lord Shiva is the all seeing guardian- deity of Hinduism. He does not distinguish between pauper and prince devotees. He is a truly liberal, generous and democratic God of this universe. So he is very popular in this atomic age too. He is also easily pleased and satisfied immediately. So his devotees worship him wholeheartedly on this auspicious occasion.

The world famous temple of Pashupatinath (Lord of animal) is situated on the bank of Bagmati river Kathmandu. He has five faces representing five elements such as earth, water, fire, air and ether. Each face has three eyes which also represent birth, life and death. So he is called  Panchayan. He is also called Ardha-nareeswara (half male and half female) human form.

The river Ganga is supposed to have originated from his matted hair. He has a crescent moon on his head. He has a garland of serpents around his neck. He wears a tigerskin (Bagh chhala) around his waist. He rubs ashes on his body. He has a trident in his hand. He conveys the message of satyam (truth), Shivam (good), and Sundaram (beauty) to the Hindu world. So he is worshipped in the whole Hindu world with reverence and respect. Lord Shiva is the perennial source of energy and creativity for all living and non living beings. The famous temple of Shiva is located at Jaleshwar which is called Jaleshwarnath temple where most of the Maithil people go to worship him on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri. Many people go to pour water from the river Ganga in earthen pots on this occasion to Vaidyanath Dham in Bihar which is also called Babadham. They pay homage to Vaidyanath who is also Shiva.

Vidyapati, a great poet of Mithila, was a true devotee of Lord Shiva. He wrote many devotional songs dedicated to him which are called Nachari  and Maheshbanis. They are Sung on the auspicious occasion of Shivaratri festival by his devotees.

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra of Lord Shiva has immense supernatural power which can provide salvation. Once sage Dadhichi, the excellent devotee of Lord Shiva had some differences with king kshura who in a fit of fury, severed his limbs with his thunderbolt. There upon sage Dadhichi remembered Shankacharya who rejoined his severed limbs and rendered him hale and hearty once again. He also gave him the excellent Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. Sage Dadhichi by chanting constantly  of this Mantra propitiated Lord Shiva who blessed him with such a strong and sturdy body as the thunderbolt itself. The sacred Mantra runs as follows: “Om Tryambakam Yayamahe, Sugandhim Pustivardhakam, Urvarukamia Bandhanam rity or mukshiya Mamritat.” It means: “I bow down to that three eyed Lord Shiva who is full of sweet fragrance and who nourishes human beings. May he provide me with a sweet fragrance and which nourishes human beings. May he free me from the bondage of this mundane existence and death just as a ripe Kakri (cucumber) is separated from the creeper. May he fix in immortality. This mantra of great efficacy guards and protects a person from premature and untimely death accidents, poisons, incurable diseases and bestows immortality by his blessings.”

“The very word ‘Shiva’ literally means auspicious or beneficial or conducive to happiness’ the various forms of Lord Shiva as the bestower of Eternal bliss, knowledge and immortality have been described in scriptures or an auspicious one. His name shiva means Bright one, Happy one. Shiva the auspicious, is known by many names (Mahadeva, Bhava, Nataraja, Mahayogi, Bhairava, Pashupati, Vishwanath, to name only a few.” (Elements of Hindu Iconography: P377)

Shortly after Donald Trump’s second term inauguration, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a concerted effort to secure his visit to the White House. He was the fourth foreign leader to meet Trump in Washington on Feb 13 after the Israeli Prime Minister, Japanese Prime Minister, and Jordan’s King. During the meeting, Modi discussed possible convergence between the American and Indian dream. Using his unique linguistic expression of mnemonic acronyms, aimed at appealing to Trump, he introduced the MIGA (Make India Great Again), an equivalent version of MAGA (Make America Great Again) for India, and argued, “When America and India work together, this MAGA plus MIGA becomes a ‘MEGA partnership for prosperity’ and it is this MEGA spirit that gives new scale and scope to our objectives.” Though Modi seems excited about the convergence of MAGA and MIGA, questions exist about the various divergences between Trump’s and Modi’s aspirations, from defense to technology and immigration to trade. Though India might experience more relaxation in its internal democracy, treatment of minorities, and Ukraine issues in Trump’s term, it will be hard for India to manage pressure on issues such as immigration, trade, and the defense sector. The article will examine immigration and trade issues, while assessing India’s potential challenges facing Trump’s second term.

On the immigration front

Let’s start with the immigration issue. Immigration has emerged as one of the contentious issues between India and the US in the Trump Era. In this issue, India has already felt pressure from the Trump administration. Before visiting Trump, the Modi administration moved quickly to address the USA’s concerns about illegal Indian immigrants that predominantly aligned with Trump's point. When the Trump administration was deporting ‘illegal/undocumented’ Indian citizens in handcuffs and leg restraints, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar remarked in Indian parliament that Indians agreed with the USA for deportation. Though the Modi administration is trying to settle the issue in haste, the problem will not likely evaporate soon because of the vast number of Indian illegal immigrants and denunciations of Modi’s move at home.

As the Trump administration initiated the mass deportation of undocumented/illegal immigrants, according to US sources, they have identified around 18,000 Indians as illegally entering the US. However, recent research shows a different picture. According to the Pew Research Center, this number is around 725,000, the third biggest after Mexico and El Salvador. Similarly, the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) estimates such numbers around 693,394. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers another picture, reporting 220,000 unauthorized Indians in 2022. Though there lacks a unified view on the number of undocumented and illegal Indians in the US, it is evident that India is one of the major sources of illegal immigrants in the USA.

During Modi’s recent visit to the US, he agreed to ‘aggressively address illegal immigration and human trafficking,’ a move that has raised concerns in India. While Modi was compelled to match Trump’s tone on the issue of illegal Indian immigrants, diverse concerns and worries are looming in India, particularly regarding the deportation of large numbers of such immigrants to India by the USA. Indian opposition leaders and representatives from locations such as Punjab and Gujrat have been vocal in their criticism of the Indian government’s alignment with the US rather than protecting the rights and interests of their citizens. For instance, Congress leader Manish Tiwari writes, “He [Jaishankar] unfortunately sounded more like a mid-level official of the American Administration rather than the Foreign Minister of India.” Despite Modi’s frequent pledges to ensure the security, safety, and dignity of India’s nationals worldwide, the continuous deportations of Indians in the future will undoubtedly hurt India’s dignity. The Modi administration’s hasty agreement to deport to please Trump has made it difficult for Modi to escape the issue quickly, potentially damaging his strong-man image at home and abroad.

Beyond undocumented and illegal Indian Immigrants, rapidly rising Indian diasporas and their considerable influence are also issues for the Trump-led Rights movement in the USA. Indian-origin people are one of the largest sections of the population in the USA and only second after Mexico. According to Pew Research, around 4.8m Indian Americans live in the USA; out of them, 66 percent were born in India, and 34 percent were born in the USA. as of 2022. Similarly, Statista says over 5.4m Indians live in the USA. Though there is divergence in the number of various sources, Indian Origin people hold a considerable number in the USA. Along with size, Indian Americans are emerging rapidly as an influential section. Indian-origin people are significant beneficiaries of the H-1B visas, which are specially provided to skilled professionals. For instance,according to US official data, Of the H-1B petitions approved in FY 2022, 72.6 percent were for beneficiaries whose country of birth was India. Similarly, the section earns more than double that of the US native and other foreign-born populations. According to Pew Research, the median income of Indian Americans is $145000, whereas the USA’s average median income is around $80,000. Similarly, Indian Americans have emerged as more influential in every area, from business to politics. For Instance, Sundar Pichai is leading Google, whereas Satya Nadella is at Microsoft. Likewise, former Vice-president Kamala Haris, current Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Republican Leader Vivek Ramaswamy are big names in American politics.

The rise of the Trump phenomenon is pushed by the notion of ‘white supremacy’ that many believers perceive that non-whites are challenging their supremacy in every sector, from jobs to political positions. Though it is not explicitly mentioned in Trump’s recent addresses, such orientation is deeply rooted in the Right-wing section. Anxiety and annoyance surfaced towards Indian-origin immigrants to the US, particularly among the MAGA radicals, as this section is doing better than native Americans and other diasporas there. Recently, as Trump appointed some Indian Americans to some administrative posts, there surfaced racist rants and sentiments toward those persons. One survey shows that Indian Americans believe that White Supremacy is the greatest threat to minorities in the USA. For instance, 70 percent of the Hindus in the USA agree that White Supremacy is a threat to minorities, though not all Indian Americans are Hindus, and all Hindus. are not of Indian origin.

Hence, the psyche of White Supremacy promoted by Trump and movements like MAGA question the safety and dignity of Indian origin. It also fuels the anti-immigrant push, such as the attack on birthright citizenship of the Trump administration, which will hurt the Dream of Indian youth to study and settle in the USA to some degree.

On the economic front

On the economic front, Indian protectionist policies and a vast trade deficit have been the significant issues of divergence between India and the US. India has been approached with protectionist policies, which were consolidated after Modi and his Make in India 2015 policy. For instance, an article in The Economist argues that India used to impose tariffs of around 80 percent in the 1990s, which was reduced to 13 percent in 2008 and later raised to around 18 percent in 2023. US President Trump’s former trade representative in 2024 slammed “India as the most protectionist country.” For stance, The US Trade Department’s 2019 report slammed India as the country with the highest tariff among the major world economies, and such policies make it harder for US firms to enter the Indian market. Recently, signaling the Indian tariffs, Trump has argued that “India has been just about the highest tariff nation in the word …hard to sell to India because of very strong tariffs...whatever India charges, we charge them.” And for the US, India’s protectionist policies have always been of concern amid its rising trade deficit.

Trump’s trade deficit with India is a significant concern for the US, and he has flagged that issue several times. Currently, both countries enjoy trade of an estimated $129.2bn, according to US government statistics. The US has a $45.7bn trade deficit with India, with the South Asian country exporting $87.4bn of goods to the US. As Modi argued, both countries have agreed to enhance trade to $500bn, so who will be the winner of that expansion? Who is going to get concessions in the deal? As recent developments indicate, there are clear signs that India will provide concessions for the US on the trade front.

One is the resumption of the Tesla plant in India. Elon Musk led EV company Tesla has been showing its keen interest to enter into the Indian market. Musk has long been lobbying to open the Indian market for Tesla cars and minimize India’s higher tariff, which is 100 percent in EVS, to smoothen the entry of Tesla. However, in 2022, Musk repelled his plan to enter the Indian market or set up a plan in India. He tweeted, “Tesla will not put a manufacturing plant in any location where we are not allowed first to sell and service cars.” This indicates some standoff between Musk and the Indian government regarding opening the Indian market and establishing the Tesla Plant in India. However, since the last Modi meeting in the US and with Musk there, Tesla’s entry into the Indian market is anticipated as the company has issued a notice regarding hiring staff for Tesla in India. In the recent union budget, India has reduced the basic customs duty on luxury vehicles priced above $40,000 from 110 percent to 70 percent, which seems primarily targeted to ease entry of Tesla and bar other EV companies, such as from China, which are selling cheaper EVs. Similarly, it has also lowered tariffs on minerals used for EV batteries.

There are also signals that India will open its market for Musk’s Starlink, an Internet service provider, which India has blocked till now, citing security concerns. The next commodity for reducing the trade deficit is petroleum products. In the meeting, India has agreed to purchase additional petroleum from the US. The US—now the largest petroleum exporter—emerged as India’s 5th largest petroleum import source in January. India shipped 218,400 barrels per day of oil from the US compared to 70,600 bpd in Dec 2024.

Trump marched into the Oval Office with the promise of a protectionist economy at home while compelling others to open their markets for US goods and services. Though the position sounds hypocritical, Trump’s position signals that others have long benefited from the US’s generosity and open-ups, and it is time for others to pay by opening their markets for American goods and services. Hence, as the USA is already a deficit bearer in trade, it is not difficult to read that Trump will compel India to be more open towards American commodities.

Therefore, though Modi seems hopeful about MIGA and MAGA marriage, Trump is eager to challenge various. Indian interests, for example, by imposing tariffs and compelling the Indian market to open up to US products and immigrant issues, including visas. As India is experiencing hard times in its economy, it aims to accelerate it by partnering more with the US in the economic and technological sectors. However, the Trump shock might make it difficult for India to realize this because it is likely that his moves will hurt India’s exports and investment sectors. India will have limited space to ride on the geopolitical competition of China and the US, which India termed strategic autonomy and benefit from competition. In Trump’s era, as he is eager to challenge and punish every movement that harms MAGA, it is very interesting to see how India exercises its strategic autonomy and how much space it will grab from Trump.