In politics, a few words or actions can change the entire equation in a moment. Ties between India and the US have gradually developed since the tenure of Bill Clinton as the US President (1993-2001). However, President Donald John Trump has weakened the bilateral strategic partnership in recent times by issuing statements on Pakistan and Kashmir. Trump’s self-congratulatory remarks on the ceasefire between India and Pakistan have not only increased New Delhi’s unease, but also raised questions about the credibility of Washington DC’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific Region. Instead of putting Pakistan under diplomatic pressure for sponsoring terrorism, the US President has given a sigh of relief to Islamabad by offering an unwanted help (to the two South Asian neighbours) on the Kashmir dispute after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

His move carries a dangerous message: Trump’s US is reluctant to address the issue of terrorism as long as its closest allies (such as Israel) are not being attacked by the terrorists. The US President has become virtually silent on (Pakistan-sponsored) cross-border terrorism in India, and offered to mediate only on the Kashmir issue. With this, the US President has presented a narrative that actually downplays the core issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Furthermore, his opposition to investment by the US companies in India underestimates the QUAD’s goal of moving production out of China and creating a stable, as well as diversified, supply chain across the globe. It may be noted that Trump recently announced that Apple could build factories in India, but would face a 25% tariff on products sold in the US (if manufactured overseas). The question arises here: What exactly is the Trump Administration’s diplomatic intent in South Asia?

Let’s not forget that Trump is not the first US leader to create trouble for India. New Delhi faced a number of crises triggered by the top US leadership in the past. The then Clinton Administration, too, viewed the Kashmir issue in a different manner in the 1990s. Hence, it would be better for India to ignore Trump’s statements for a while. At the same time, the US needs to be sent the message that it is the most important strategic ally of India, but not the only one.

India has strengthened ties with Europe in recent times. In fact, several European countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, stood by India immediately after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. It is also a fact that although Trump’s influence over the US is currently quite strong, he is not a reflection of the entire nation. There are other power centres in the US administration, as well. A Federal Court in California recently blocked the Trump Administration from terminating the legal statuses of international students at universities across the US after nationwide protests over the White House’s order on Harvard University regarding the admission of foreign students rocked the country.

The business community plays an important role in determining the US policies. If India manages to expand ties with the US business entities to protect its own interests, then it could benefit in the long-term, and also in the short-term. In fact, Trump has benefited India in a way by re-discovering an eternal truth… the foreign policy of a country should be guided by national interests, and not by the illusions of (personal) friendship.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das