The stage was set, and the sparks flew as Indian-American presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy engaged in a fiery exchange during the first Republican Party primary debate on foreign policy matters, which at one point got so heated that the pair shouted and wagged their fingers at each other for more than thirty seconds.The intense altercation marked a historic moment, as it was the first time in American history that two candidates of Indian origin had shared the stage and sparred during a primary presidential debate.Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley didnt hold back as she challenged millionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamys competence in foreign affairs and his stance towards Russia. The debate, held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, witnessed a clash of ideologies that had already been hinted at through their social media interactions leading up to the event.Haley accused Ramaswamy of siding with Americas enemies and abandoning its allies in response to Ramaswamys statement that there was limited support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The former US ambassador to the United Nations criticised Ramaswamy for his stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin, labelling him a murderer and expressing concerns about the security of the United States under his hypothetical leadership.“He wants to hand Ukraine to Russia, he wants to let China eat Taiwan, he wants to go and stop funding Israel. You dont do that to friends. What you do instead is you have the backs of your friends,” she said.In a retort, Ramaswamy frequently interrupted Haley and asserted, “False, false.” Ramaswamy accused Haley of pushing this lie against him.Vivek Ramaswamy choosing murderer over US-ally Ukraine: Nikki HaleyHaley continued to challenge Ramaswamy, accusing him of choosing a murderer over a pro-American stance.“You are choosing a murderer [Putin] over a pro-American country [Ukraine]… You would make America less safe. You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows,” she said.NIKKI HALEY to Vivek: Youre choosing a murderer over a pro-American country. You have no foreign policy experience and it shows! pic.twitter.com/P27LEEKt0L— Team Haley (@TeamHaley) August 24, 2023Ramaswamy, in response to the situation in Ukraine, expressed opposition to providing additional aid and contended that Ukraine was not a priority for the United States.“I wouldnt, and this is very harmful. We should allocate those same military resources to prevent the invasion of our own southern border here in the United States. Ukraine is not a priority for the United States of America,” he said.“I reject the consensus that winning in Ukraine is a vital US interest. Nearly the entire GOP [Republican] field rails against [Joe] Biden, but cut through the grandstanding and it turns out theyre solidly with him on the most important foreign policy issue of our time. America First 2.0… The US military has one purpose above all, its to defend Americas home turf. Yet, the defence establishment recoils at this idea.”I reject the consensus that “winning” in Ukraine is a vital U.S. interest. Nearly the entire GOP field rails against Biden, but cut through the grandstanding & it turns out theyre solidly with him on the most important foreign policy issue of our time. America First 2.0 pic.twitter.com/3iTy3pyaM5— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) August 24, 2023Ramaswamy further insinuated that Haleys strong support for military aid to Ukraine was due to pressure from major defence contractors.“I wish you success in your future endeavours serving on the boards of Lockheed [Martin] and Raytheon,” he told Haley.Vivek Ramaswamy no longer unknown, says Wall Street JournalThe sparks didnt die down even after the debate concluded. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ramaswamys unconventional ideas had garnered attention from other candidates, leading to a series of attacks against him. Despite his initial polling at 0%, Ramaswamys rise in the polls has brought him into the spotlight.The primary debate witnessed the participation of eight Republican presidential contenders vying for second place in the 2024 race, following the former presidents decision not to partake. The other participants in the debate are North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.Indian-Americans have previously run for the presidency, with Bobby Jindal leading the way in 2016 and Kamala Harris securing the vice presidency in 2022. However, the latest debate marked a historical first, with two candidates of Indian origin sharing the same primary debate platform.The next Republican primary debate is scheduled for September 22.
