The COVID-19 pandemic has led to countries imposing curfews and lockdowns. Countries around the world are reeling under the impact of rising cases and economic fallout. In such a case, finding a viable cure or vaccine for COVID-19 has become imperative. A lot of research is going on and much done by Indians living in the US. In Trump’s White House Address on May 15, he hailed the contributions of Indian-Americans. In the speech, Donald Trump hails Indian scientists for their contributions towards COVID-19 research. He said that research was critical since a cure or vaccine for COVID-19 needs to be developed at the earliest.
Trump hails Indian scientists for research
President Trump hailed all Indian-American researchers and scientists for their attempts in developing a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19. He also said that India was a close ally and he was collaborating with India in the fight against COVID-19. He appreciated the entire Indian diaspora living in the US. Trump then said that a lot of this diaspora comprised of good researchers and scientists who were helping fight COVID-19. He was responding to the appreciation he has received from the Indian Diaspora for his measures to fight COVID-19. He is the first American President to value the research and scientific know-how of the Indian-American community.
A lot of Indian-Americans are engaged with Biopharma companies and start-ups, universities, and even the National Institute of Health. They are involved in state-of-the-art research aimed at finding a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19 at research institutes. Hence, he appreciated their efforts in his address from the White House’s Rose Garden on May 15. His approach is sure to go a long way in reaching out to the Indian-American community that stays within America.
Political Angle
In the United States, the Indian-American diaspora is about 4 million strong. Approximately, 2.5 million people out of 4 million are expected to vote in the presidential elections coming up in 2020. This is an effort to reach out to those Indian-American voters and shore up their votes. In October 2016, Trump became the first presidential nominee to hold a separate rally for the Indian diaspora. This rally was held in New Jersey and since then Trump has branded himself as India’s best friend. Moreover, he has claimed that he is the best friend Indian-Americans and India could have in the White House.
Right now, Trump has many problems at home. He needs to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic effectively. He is already receiving flak for mishandling the crisis. The US is the worst hit by the pandemic, it has the maximum number of cases in the world and 80,000 people have died. Moreover, the economy of the US is crashing and his re-election depends a lot on the economy. In the midst of all this, the US is also in a spat with China.
Final Thoughts
President Trump recognizing the contributions of the Indians in the field of research is a welcome move. Gaining favor with the Indians sits well with his plan of reducing dependence on China and finding a cure for COVID-19 fast.
