It is asserted that history would not overlook India’s decision to purchase Russian oil under Western sanctions following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Critics argue that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, capitalised on discounted Russian crude—only to refine and resell it to European nations, profiting while undermining global sanctions headed by the United States.

Alongside China, India has been accused of indirectly fueling Vladimir Putin’s war machine, enabling continued aggression and the tragic loss of Ukrainian lives. This stance has sparked intense debate over geopolitical morality and economic opportunism in times of conflict.

Modi and key RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) members became euphoric and celebrated Donald Trump’s election victory in some parts of India. Indian media heavily promoted Modi’s close ties with Trump during his first presidency, reinforcing the image of a strong Indo-US alliance.

After Trump’s return to power, high-profile US officials—including Vice President J D Vance and National Security Advisor Tulsi Gabbard (who claims Indian heritage)—visited India. This was soon followed by Modi’s own trip to the US, further solidifying the perceived diplomatic rapport between the two leaders.

Modi’s visit to the US fell short of RSS expectations. Unlike during Trump’s first term—where personal friendship rhetoric emphasized—this time, discussions were strictly transactional, focused on economic and strategic interests.

Shortly after the visit, in February 2025, the US (under Trump and Vance) reportedly offered India F-35 stealth fighters. However, India opted to purchase 26 advanced Rafale jets from France in a $7.4 billion deal, signalling a divergence from US expectations.

The reported downing of 3 Indian Rafale jets by Pakistani fighters during the brief Indo-Pak conflict (7-11 May 2025) marked a major humiliation for the Indian Air Force. Pakistan allegedly used Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missiles, exposing vulnerabilities in India’s much-touted Rafale fleet.

Adding to India’s embarrassment, the US reportedly withheld support during the four-day war—a point heavily emphasised by Indian social media, which accused Washington of abandoning its strategic partner.

President Trump’s recent economic decisions have dealt a significant setback to India. Reports indicate he urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to move manufacturing operations out of India, undermining New Delhi’s “Make in India” initiative.

Separately, World Liberty Financial—a Trump-affiliated crypto venture—reportedly partnered with Pakistan to establish it as South Asia’s cryptocurrency hub, bypassing India entirely.

Compounding these blows, Trump raised US tariffs on Indian exports to 26%, further straining bilateral trade.

The cumulative impact rattled India’s economy. According to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Indian stock markets plummeted to record lows following these developments, reflecting a sharp decline in investor confidence amid deteriorating US-India economic ties.

Trump’s policies targeting redundancies in the US led to mass job losses among Indian-origin professionals and the brutal deportation of undocumented Indian immigrants, displaying a stark disregard for humanitarian concerns—prompting Modi to finally grasp the true nature of Trump’s ruthlessness.

Despite his attempts to align with Trump’s diplomatic playbook, Modi has fundamentally misjudged Trump’s transactional and unpredictable strategies, revealing his own failure to navigate this high-stakes relationship.

Now, Modi appears less like a strategic partner and more like an outmanoeuvred student at Trump’s unsparing school of diplomacy.

India’s foreign policy faces sharp criticism as strategists highlight its glaring flaws. While Modi champions ‘people-to-people connectivity,’ New Delhi’s actions reveal a duplicitous approach—bulldozing regional ties through calculated cunning rather than cooperation.

Instead of fostering goodwill, India props up authoritarian regimes to covertly serve its hidden agendas, exposing a dangerous disconnect between rhetoric and reality.

India’s inability to foster win-win cooperation with neighbours has left regional forums like SAARC and BIMSTEC ineffective. By stalling progress and showing minimal interest, New Delhi has strained ties with every bordering nation—branding them as ‘hostile,’ a unique diplomatic failure unmatched globally.

This self-defeating approach exposes deep flaws in India’s foreign policy.

India’s once-mighty economy, which once rivalled China’s, now lags far behind—a direct consequence of its flawed foreign policy.

While balancing ties with both the US and Russia was once seen as strategic, Modi’s transactional approach has backfired: his perceived ‘personal friendship’ with Trump proved illusory, while his unwavering loyalty to Putin invited US backlash.

By prioritising Russian arms and cheap oil over genuine strategic alignment, Modi’s short-term gains have triggered long-term repercussions, including American retaliation—exposing the hollowness of India’s diplomatic balancing act.