Much ado about... Ivanka

The glitzy event of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) with Ivanka Trump as high glamorous quotient has had the desired results for the local TRS government and the Modi administration in New Delhi. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his team were highly successful in showcasing Hyderabad to a global audience as the City for investment. And, the BJP government has once again got an endorsement for its policies from US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka in her official capacity as Special Advisor to Potus.

In fact, Modi took a break from his Gujarat poll campaign to inaugurate Hyderabad Metro and open the GES and to share the dais with America’s First Daughter. Since the summit was held jointly by the US and India, first time in this country, the Prime Minister’s presence might have given it the added weight and advantage. But whether it is political or economical is questionable. Ivanka paid Modi wholesome praise with plaudits, “from tea-seller to becoming Prime Minister, you’ve proven that transformational change is possible.” Then their one-to-one meeting and the photo shared with millions of Modi’s Twitter account followers.

Again, it was her praise of this country and the host city. During her keynote address at the opening ceremony on Tuesday and two other panel discussions at which she interacted with delegates on women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, etc., Ivanka wowed the audience with the customary American pep talk to boost confidence with words like ‘you can do’ and 'In this City of Pearls, the greatest treasure is you – the dreamers, the innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.' And, “if India closes the labour-force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over $150 billion dollars in the next three years."

Apart from Ivanka’s advice to empowering women and unreserved praise, her much-publicised visit to Hyderabad would boil down to three words: She came, saw the dolled-up parts of the city and left. But for the improvements done to the city for the VVIP’s visit, at considerable cost, has she given any assurances to Indian entrepreneurs in general and women in particular in what way the US is going to help them? She simply articulated her father’s India policy, this time on Indian soil.

As the German media described her as ‘First Whisperer’ before her visit to Berlin in April this year, Ivanka has no capacity to officially take any initiative. As an ‘unpaid’ advisor to the most powerful head of state, she remains the ‘first whisperer.’ This is in no way downgrading her status or importance being the daughter of Donald Trump. But, prudence demands whether a ‘royal treatment’ is really required and have we gone overboard to please her. Contrast this with her German trip to take part in a panel discussion on women’s economic empowerment, held as a part of the G 20 Summit. Like Modi inviting Ivanka, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had invited her despite an awkward first meeting with President Trump at the White House in March. Ivanka was treated well, of course, but none fell over heels. That’s the difference between the First and the Third Worlds.