Bullying tactics erode trust, but also expose flaws in Modi’s foreign policy.
THE DONALD TRUMP administration, which has unfortunately adopted a bullying attitude towards India, is getting increasingly frustrated with the stand that the Indian government has taken so far.
The relationship between the two countries, which had been improving over the years since the signing of the Indo-US nuclear deal, has plummeted during Trump’s second term.
This is despite the bonhomie between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the latter even coining the slogan “Abki baar, Trump sarkar.”
A major problem with the Trump administration is that it has sought to conduct diplomacy in public rather than behind closed doors. The ugly public spat between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in front of the world media is one instance of the unconventional diplomacy practiced by Trump.
Evidently piqued with India for not acceding to his unreasonable and unacceptable demands, Trump and his close aides have been using harsh and derogatory words against the country and its government. The latest such instance is White House trade adviser Peter Navarro’s remark that “Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people.”
Earlier, in another interview, he had referred to the Russia-Ukraine war as “Modi’s war” by arguing that crude oil purchased by India from Russia was fuelling the war against Ukraine!
The argument is preposterous and illogical. Everyone knows that China purchases far more crude oil from Russia than India, and yet no additional tariff has been imposed on that country, while a 25 per cent tariff has been slapped on India on the grounds that it purchases crude oil from Russia. Even European countries import petroleum products from Russia.
How come neither these countries nor China are “fuelling” the Russian war against Ukraine? What is even more damning is the fact that the US itself imports certain items like heavy metals from Russia.
When questioned about this by a reporter, Trump simply said he was not aware of it and would check. However, he has never spoken about it again.
Once celebrated as a blossoming partnership, Indo-US ties under Donald Trump have hit a rough patch. Tariffs, taunts, and pressure tactics have eroded trust — and also exposed critical flaws in Modi’s handling of foreign policy.
The doublespeak by Trump and his aides has brought down the credibility of his administration to its lowest level. His picking on and targeting India is neither in the interest of the US nor its citizens.
It is no secret that he is venting his personal anger against India for not accepting his claim that he stopped the four-day war between India and Pakistan. He has made that claim dozens of times and has not hidden his ambition of bagging the Nobel Peace Prize for his so-called intervention.
Pakistan has not only accepted his claim of intervention but has also recommended his name for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump rewarded Pakistan’s de facto ruler, its army chief Munir, by inviting him to the White House and hosting him at lunch. This is considered unprecedented, as the White House in the past has hosted only heads of government and not the head of an army.
India’s refusal to be hyphenated with Pakistan or to accept intervention by any other country while dealing with Pakistan has evidently irked Trump and his administration.
India has also been steadfastly—and rightly so—resisting pressure to purchase agricultural products and dairy items from the United States. This could spell disaster for our farmers, a majority of whom are already living on the margins.
The insistence by the US to sell genetically modified seeds and agricultural products would have long-term consequences. Similarly, the import of milk and dairy products would directly hit the dairy industry in the country.
Unfortunately, by taking such a stand, the US is pushing India towards Russia and China, both ruled by dictators. While Russia has remained a trusted partner of India, the same cannot be said about China, which has been stabbing us in the back.
Even during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, it provided complete support, including critical intelligence, to Pakistan. Yet it is certainly in India’s interest to mend fences with China and reboot our diplomatic relations with Europe and the Global South.
At the same time, it is important for us to introduce reforms and strengthen ourselves economically to be able to withstand pressures from other major economies of the world. We must find an opportunity in the current crisis to emerge stronger and refuse to bow down to a bully. 
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Vipin Pubby
The author, a freelance journalist, is a former Resident Editor of Indian Express, Chandigarh, and reported on the political developments in Jammu and Kashmir, North-Eastern India, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab in his long, illustrious career.
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