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The world’s political tilt towards ‘right’ may usher in far reaching consequences, both in terms of international trade and in social life in general. The return of Donald Trump, change of government in European countries like France and Germany are all indications of a new process of thought. We all may not like it, but that’s the reality.

Trump’s MAGA strategy is nothing but turning the tables on old ideas of discreet diplomacy. He wants to make the US super rich overnight. He will ‘drill’ the oil reserves, reject Paris Agreement and pollute the world, unplugging all the stops of caution. He will chase out the migrants little realizing that they over the years have contributed substantially to America’s wealth. Only those who can afford five million dollars for a ‘gold card’ are welcome to settle in America in future. The neo Nazis of Germany – the AfDs- have similar thought processes and are becoming increasingly popular particularly in the erstwhile ‘east’ Germany. ‘Left’ leaning is increasingly becoming unfashionable worldwide. Who cares for the poor? USAid is being stopped to developing countries. Why should America look after the underprivileged?

The days of cold war are over and America and Russia are friends. Trump and Putin talk to put an end to the Ukraine war, keeping Ukraine out of the discussion. America not just rejects the Paris Agreement; its President decides to withdraw from World Health Organisation as well. Why? Because China, by contributing far less funds than America to WHO, dominates the organisation. Why should America play second fiddle? Globalisation is no longer fashionable; each country should look after its own interest. In the new ‘right’ thinking process, de-globalisation should be the new world order.

There has been a ceasefire in the Palestinian conflict; but America wants Gaza Hamas free; and would want to ‘buy’ over the land and turn it into a tourist-business hub. Trump would not talk to Ukraine; but would like to lay its hand on the rich mineral resources. The right inclined thinkers who are taking over the world today have developed a new language of politics and business.

India too is developing a rightist voice but not as forthright as America. The Indian Prime Minister wanted to make friends with his American mentor; but the signals are not as cordial as was expected. The reciprocal tax system thrust down on him: if India wants export tax benefits, it has to lower its taxes on American goods. Trump sounded quite tough on his policy of tax reciprocity. Though Trump and Elon Musk are great friends, the President is not happy in Elon’s desire to bring Tesla to India, before the tax issue is sorted out between the two countries. Trump wants to talk more like a businessman and not as a diplomat – and possibly this will be the new trend in the ‘rightist’ diplomacy.

Diplomacy has already changed with the entry of the dragon – China. The American AI world got the shock of their lives when the day Trump announced investment of five billion dollars in the AI industry, China launched its

DeepSeek - an AI tool made in open source software and at one-tenth the cost of its American counterpart ChatGPT.

If India has to survive in this volatile world, it has to make friends with China too. The border talks have resumed and friendly gestures are already afloat from both sides. China’s suspicion of India’s role in organisations like Quad

needs to be removed. India’s treaties with the US during Biden days, especially on the exchange of critical technologies, may not be fully honoured in Trump’s times. India’s ban on Chinese technologies like those on Tik Tok needs to be revisited. AI tools made on open source softwares as in China should be India’s look out too rather than align with the expensive American dreams. India has just started

setting up semiconductor plants and manufacture its own computer chips. But the world is now far ahead in these matters. India needs to adopt a more old fashioned diplomacy to balance out with America and China in this new ‘rightist’ de-globalised world.