India Alone: Betrayed by the West, Cornered by Enemies
Fourteen years of patient diplomacy to align with the West unraveled in May during Operation Sindoor. Despite clear evidence that Pakistan sponsored the terror attack that killed 26 Indian tourists in Kashmir, the West—led by President Trump—sided with Islamabad. Adding insult, Trump welcomed the Pakistani general linked to the killings to a White House lunch.
Worse, Trump used a pending trade deal to pressure India into ending its air campaign against offender Pakistan—though he later denied it. Russia remained silent. China, predictably hostile, was embarrassed when its military gear supplied to Pakistan failed. Europe offered only muted concern.
India’s foreign policy bet on the West has collapsed.
Now, with its $10 trillion economy goal and 8% growth target, India urgently needs capital and technology. The West has both, but not without strings. Russia, distracted in Ukraine, has neither. China has money, but its technology is third-rate and copied. Europe may help, but only for a price India can’t always pay.
India’s exports are not yet strong enough to fund large-scale tech acquisitions or secure greater market access to the West. Still, New Delhi must not yield to Trump’s transactional threats. If the trade deal isn’t in India’s interest, reject it.
India is too big to be bullied. If America wants to back Pakistan, let it. The next jihadi strike may target U.S. interests—and that will be Trump’s lesson.
PM Modi should act boldly: Refuse the deal. Resume oil and gas imports from Iran. Help rebuild Iranian civilian infrastructure destroyed by U.S. and Israeli bombing. Take back the island in the Bay of Bengal the U.S. eyes for a base.
Trump’s chaotic foreign policy must be challenged. India has changed—and it will no longer bend.
