An open letter to President Donald Trump

Asoke K. Laha
President & MD, Interra IT

Dear Mr President,

I would like to congratulate you on becoming the 45th President of the United States of America. Your bold views and commitment to serve the US citizens and to set a new governance structure for world at large, has instilled new hopes and aspirations among the people of the United States. Your message of “Make America Great Again” resonates with me as well as millions of Americans who supported you. I have more respect and faith for you as well as admiration because you are not a “professional politician” but a highly successful businessman and a person of very original ideas. I myself being a US citizen of Indian roots, feel an empathy with you – if you allow me to say so – because in my life and career I have had to cross barriers and overcome challenges – barriers and challenges thrown by age-old customs and conventions, wrong ideas and narrowness of mind, one’s friends’ and family’s obsession with economic security which is so illusive. You have made Trump Organization possible and you have entered the Oval Office despite a world full of opposition and media clamour, and this proves you are a crusader for your causes and you know how to have faith in yourself. Undeniably, it will seek to redefine the political and social narrations world over.

In this short letter, I would like to say a few words about my understanding and aspirations for a completely new friendship between the US and India.

The US is a melting pot and helped many people realize their dreams. A group of people are strong promoters of American goods and technology in India, thereby giving a critical push to the American interests in the expanding Indian markets. Significantly, some of them are engaged in marketing IT technology platforms like satellites, sensors, Internet of Things, equipments using artificial intelligence like robotics, high configuration computers, gaming equipment. A lesser known fact is that these equipments are the backbone of the Indian IT industry, which enable India to transmit back the outsourced works from the US. These technology platforms have helped the two countries to come together to reap the benefits of the IT revolution. 

The Indian IT landscape is in for a radical change, thanks to a slew of measures being taken by the successive governments. This present dispensation has kick-started far-reaching programmes that can catapult India to a powerful and robust economy. India is already the third- largest economy in the world, after the US and China. The size of the Indian economy has registered quantum jumps in the recent times. India’s gross domestic product is over US$2 trillion and, going by the growth forecast by various multinational think tanks, India’s growth in the coming years will be spectacular. Some of India’s best brains are heading some of the big corporations in the US. They are in the forefront in creating wealth and employment to this great country, whom they or their forefathers have adopted years ago and are working tirelessly for its multifaceted development. 

The people of Indian origin have contributed immensely to the American literature, science and technology. They are recognized both in the US and India as well for their contributions. There are also Nobel Prize winners among them, who set trailblazing examples for scientific community. Many of them are heading large research projects of vital importance to the US. Similarly, some of the American corporations are household names in India. Their presence in India can be dated back to a few centuries. There is hardly any American Fortune 500 company which does not have a strong presence in India. They have been playing important roles in the economic and social development of India. Some of them are recognized as best corporate citizens, contributing marvellously to the social and cultural progress of India. 

India is on the cusp of a new development trajectory. India is the sixth-largest manufacturing hub in the world and is working hard to move up in the value chain. India has a strong agricultural base. The Indian business community is technology hungry all the time. India has massive plans like building 100 smart cities, a strong Digital India, a vibrant pharmaceutical sector, a strong and forward-looking agribusiness and so on. These are areas that open up opportunities for India and the US to work together. American companies are a natural pick for Indian corporations for joint ventures, technological tie-ups, etc since they have an excellent track record of partnerships.

The people of my generation have had their education in the US universities, but some shifts in that preference took place only when the visa regime in the US got tightened. That led students to look at Britain and Australia. My feeling is that a relaxed visa regime in the US can take back all those students who were forced to look at other destinations. Also, it can also attract more students from India in the future. Importantly, as you have well recognized in your election campaigns, Indians not only come with two hands to work but also brains that can help the US realize its dream. 

Let me focus on our shared vision of using information technology to leverage the potentials of both countries. There are some of the potentials that exist in India that the US corporations can tap. In the healthcare sector, India’s objective is to provide universal healthcare to 1.3 billion people in the conceivable future. Faced with resource crunch, India is toying with different concepts to widen the coverage of the healthcare, which should be affordable, accessible and of high quality. Driven by shortage of health professionals like doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff, India is now focussing on telemedicine, using disruptive apps like mobile telephones, biomarkers, sensors, artificial intelligence, etc. This will enable them to treat the people closer to their home using modern virtual devices. There is a goldmine awaiting the US corporations in marketing these gadgets in India. Already, India imports a large quantum of medical devices from the US.

Smart cities are another area that holds considerable scope. In the next ten years or so, India will have 100 smart cities coming up across the country. More than 60% of the expenditure to be incurred for these cities is on IT-related aspects for ensuring safety, security and sustainability to these cities. The US corporations can have their role cut out in capturing a sizeable chunk of these emerging demands.

The Indo-US cooperation in defence, aerospace and in high-tech areas is well known. Similarly, of late India has embarked on an ambitious project known as “Make in India”. This presupposes India becoming a powerful manufacturing sector. This is a double whammy for the US corporations. First, the US could be a lead supplier of capital goods that are needed for the manufacturing sector. Two, the US can be an effective partner in building capacities in India by entering into joint ventures with Indian companies for the manufacture of these products in India.

Finally, let me point out how IT has helped the two countries to achieve potentials. It is not all about outsourcing and body shopping. India is also a favourite place for American corporations to invest in high-end R&D because of the abundant availability of highly skilled researchers and scientists passing out from India’s hallowed institutions. They do the work at a fraction of the cost, what otherwise would have incurred in any other country. Such big-ticket research projects will not lead to loss of employment in the home country. Rather, they will facilitate more investments in the home country since the US corporations can save considerable resources otherwise they would have spent for R&D. The saved resources can be ploughed back to more investments in the home country.

I wish you all success for your presidency and sincerely hope that the people of the United States will immensely benefit from your stewardship.