00:00So on this visit, clearly, Russia and Russian oil basically sort of is a part of discussion.
00:05That oil and that buying from India is a part of discussion.
00:09The trade deal and investment in India is a part of discussion.
00:12And importantly, the fact that oil refinery and a unit is going to be set up in Texas in America,
00:17that is going to be on agenda as well.
00:19All of this is to understand about how primarily the focus remains on India also as a decision-making authority,
00:27not something that America can simply dictate to India anymore.
00:31And that will be crucial at a time like this, when India is in that position,
00:35to ensure that there is perhaps an equal discussion on both sides.
00:40As Geeta Mohan, our foreign affairs editor, continues to be with us,
00:44Geeta, I'm thinking of all the times where America, and especially Trump administration,
00:48despite good relationship with India, believe that they can impose the tariffs,
00:53they can tell India not to be neutral anymore, take a decision, take a side,
00:57and India maintained whatever stance that we wanted to.
01:00Do you think it has sort of helped us in the background now that we stood with what we believed
01:07in
01:07rather than go by how Western nations wanted us to react, stand with Ukraine,
01:11or take a side on Israel and on Gaza, all of that and more?
01:14I think, Pooja, the only position that India has been very steadfast on has been Russia.
01:23I cannot say the same thing about Israel and Gaza, but yes, on Russia, India has made it very clear.
01:30And while Europe didn't understand India's position when Biden was in power,
01:38because back then we were being pushed by America as well,
01:42when Trump came to power, everything changed, the equation with Putin changed,
01:47and therefore Europe then now understands India's position because there's a reality check
01:52where Europe is being challenged by America, Europe is being challenged by Trump administration,
01:59by Trump himself, saying, we don't believe in NATO, we don't believe in...
02:03And that's when they realized that we need to give the concessions that India needs or wants.
02:09India does not need the concessions.
02:11India wanted the understanding.
02:13I suppose Europe now understands,
02:16only because it's convenient for them to understand right now,
02:18because Trump is not on their side, or America is not on their side,
02:21and they need India.
02:24Trump administration has been rather unkind when it comes to Russia,
02:28because they are not aligning what their policy on Russia is to what their policy with India really is, right?
02:37And that's very, very important over here.
02:39The fact that they are okay engaging Russia, but they don't want India to continue engaging Russia...
02:47But this is called hypocrisy of the Western world, is what we have maintained.
02:51That why was India siding with Russia at a time when they didn't want,
02:55and they're sort of doing the same, because now they realize that when domestic interests are hurt,
03:00that pressure is going to pile up on the elected leadership,
03:03and Donald Trump does not want to take chances with it.
03:06How crucial are the November midterm elections for Donald Trump?
03:10Absolutely. It's a make-or-break, do-or-die situation for Donald Trump,
03:14because if he loses the Senate and the House,
03:17which is one seat over here and three on the other side, or four on the other side,
03:21he stands to lose out on any legislation being passed through the House.
03:28But President Trump has never believed in legislations going through the House and Senate.
03:34He has depended on executive orders.
03:37So I think if he loses the midterms, if he loses the House,
03:43he is going to come back with a vengeance.
03:46Yes. The executive orders are going to become tougher,
03:49they're going to become stronger,
03:52and they're going to be ones that will take on not just domestic political dispensation,
04:00the opposition, but also countries.
04:03But should he come back with control of the House,
04:09I suppose he'll be a little more lenient,
04:11and you'll see continuum in foreign policy.
04:14But what if I say he comes back, or he wins the November midterm elections,
04:19let's say with a thumping majority,
04:20doesn't that make him even more solid with what he wants to do?
04:24He'll become bold.
04:25But he'll become bold with his decisions on Iran, maybe.
04:29Because this is a midterm for control of the House and Senate,
04:34it's not the presidential elections.
04:35He has two more years to go.
04:38So, how strong will he be in those two years,
04:41will be determined by the midterm elections?
04:44Because how many executive orders can you pass to actually run the government?
04:49You, at the end of the day, need the Senate and the House.
04:51Let's look at these visuals.
04:53Visuals of Mark Huru, the external affairs minister,
04:54Shankar, shaking hands, smile.
04:56You can see a warm, cordial relationship at this point.
04:59You can see that there is, of course, on the itinerary to go to Jamnagar as well,
05:03later.
05:04And we stay with these visuals and two.
05:07And as I head into a short commercial break.
05:09This will be our big story of the evening, of course.
05:12But also remember, it's also significant of the changing equation,
05:16the changing relationship.
