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‘Plenty of distrust’: Indian diaspora unlikely to warm up to Modi’s ‘friend’ Trump, analysts say
- Even diehard Modi supporters may not gravitate to Trump over fears his administration will not be friendly to ethnic minorities, observers note
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The Indian diaspora’s loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not translate into support for his “friend” Donald Trump, analysts have said, due to apprehensions about the former president’s approach to minorities and divisive rhetoric about his rival Kamala Harris’ Indian heritage.
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Following the assassination attempt last month on the Republican presidential candidate, Modi condemned the attack on “my friend, former President Donald Trump” in a comment posted on social media platform X.
The remark by Modi, who is the most followed head of government on the social media platform with more than 100 million followers, grabbed headlines, particularly since the two leaders have made several public appearances supporting each other.
Trump likened Modi to Elvis Presley for his star appeal at a joint rally in Houston in September 2019 that drew about 50,000 people. The two leaders more than doubled that crowd about five months later at a cricket stadium in the western Indian state of Ahmedabad, where they praised each other.
Modi has widespread support among the Indian diaspora in the US, with a recent study by the Carnegie Endowment finding that around 50 per cent of Indian Americans approve of the prime minister.
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