PM Modi:The Prime Minister of India, Modi, in the last four weeks refused four calls made by the former President of the United States, Donald Trump, said German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), thus pointing to the increasing tension in the India–US relationship.
Rising Trade Tensions and Strategic Caution
In an environment of escalating trade conflicts, Trump at least four times phoned PM Modi in an attempt to establish contact, but on each occasion, the Indian Prime Minister rejected the call.
The US President has put India under more pressure by applying combined tariffs amounting to 50%—a 25% “reciprocal tariff” and another 25% penalty related to India’s energy and arms trade with Russia, in addition.
Avoiding a Hanoi-Style Trap
Mutually, FAZ compares Trump’s actions in Vietnam with the current situation, where, through social media, the trade deal announcement came after just one call, although in fact no agreement had been reached. Therefore, FAZ judges Modi cautious not to be naïvely trapped by such a high-risk game.
Strategic Realignment in Indo-Pacific Policy
One point of view of political analyst Mark Frazier, who was quoted by FAZ too staunchly, is that the concept of the “Indo-Pacific” alliance by Trump, which implies India as a go-to agent for balancing China, is on the verge of collapse. Frazier argues that India in the past refrained from directly siding with the US against China and rather chose to be strategically independent.
Provocations Beyond Trade
Some reports focus on additional sources that make it difficult for the two countries to maintain good relations: a dispute over Trump-branded luxury towers near Delhi and sharply negative reactions from India, particularly after Trump alleged he was personally responsible for the India-Pakistan ceasefire and announced an oil development deal with Pakistan—both moves that New Delhi perceives as provocations.
PM Modi: Looking Toward SCO
FAZ reports that Modi will attend the Tianjin Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that will be held this week, to indicate that India's geopolitical alignments have changed, if possible, and the SCO summit might be a good place to find suitable partners with shared interests. FAZ comments that, “India needs China more than China needs India”, indicating that the turning point of India is strategic and looking ahead.
