India Needs to Factor in Trump's Personality, Personal Interests

Who would have thought at the start of Donald Trump's presidency in January 2025 that three or four months down the line, he would cause so much angst in India or have the Indian public mood turn against him so drastically?

- JOYEETA BASU

The expectation was that his second term would be much the same as the first term, and in fact would further the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership that the two nations had spoken of in February 2020—"anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, goodwill and robust engagement of their citizens".

In fact, the positivity of India-US relations during Trump's first term was perceived to have gone missing towards the end of President Joe Biden's term. So even though President Biden described India-US relations as the "most consequential" of the 21st century, his apparent cognitive decline towards the end of his presidency allowed certain people surrounding him to run their own agendas, often seen to be at cross purposes with India's. Hence, it was with much hope that Indians looked forward to President Trump coming to office—all the more reason why the disillusionment is so strong.