Trump and Putin

India's political non-monogamy underscores the principle that steers India's relationship with any foreign power. India's belief in strategic autonomy and multi-alignment is a sacrosanct to India's foreign policy of not being dependent on any one power. Regardless of its historical defence ties to Russia or its economic reliance on the US, India has never chosen to join one partner. It has been navigating between them and is likely to pursue the same wise policy in the current geopolitical environment

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post-2014 growing proximity to the United States is considered by some analysts to have created a sense of mistrust with Russia.

Yet, despite Modi going to the extent of literally campaigning for Donald Trump on the slogan "Abki Bar Trump Sarkar" and hugging him like a soulmate did not prevent Trump from slapping him with a 25 per cent tariff and penalty. From the Indian perspective, this was not diplomacy; it was a national embarrassment of one man's friendship costing India dearly. It was a foreign policy disaster of epic scale.

Over the last decade, India has drawn closer to the United States, tentatively aligning itself with Washington as it continues to eschew formal alliances. The Indian leadership welcomed Trump's return to the White House because of the apparent chemistry between Trump and Modi.

India soon realised its miscalculation and opted to reassess its American gamble as Trump flipped from friend to not-such-a-friend and began to ramp up the pressure on India, his increased tariff ostensibly meant to penalise New Delhi for its ongoing purchase of Russian oil.

It was over the course of Modi's tilt towards the US that the India-Russia partnership first faced its bumps. It was also the first time that India and Russia did not sign an arms sale deal for such a long time ~ since 2021. Modi also has not publicly supported Russia's war on Ukraine.