The  4 Million-Strong Indian Community in U.S. is Now Increasingly Politically Vocal

Since the Vajpayee govt, India has been doing a focused diaspora outreach

U.S. President Donald Trump joining Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a 50,000-strong Indian diaspora ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston, Texas, in September last year, staying on after his own speech for Modis hour-long comments, and subsequently doing a joint lap of the stadium, was a stark recognition of the enhanced role of the 4 million Indian-American community. Sections of the community had come forward to raise funds and even support Trump in 2016, when he did not have many supporters outside the right-wing Republican base. In October 2016, he had addressed an Indian-American rally in New Jersey and had also recorded a campaign video pronouncing Ab Ki Bar Trump Sarkar, a take off on Modi’s 2014 campaign slogan.

Indian-Americans traditionally tend to vote Democratic, as do most other minority, newly immigrant communities, including the Jewish community. They feel more comfortable in the politics of inclusion and diversity advocated by the Democrats, in contrast with the majoritarian Republican approach. However, many Indian-Americans, once they have flourished economically, become Republican supporters, attracted by its espousal of lower taxes. Eventually, according to post poll data, around 80 percent of Indian-American votes went to the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.