Diplomatic Misreading of Donald Trump's US

Operation Sindoor should lead to a review of India's assumptions about President Trump, and the diplomatic management of his world

- Prashant Jha

Operation Sindoor has inaugurated a new and uncomfortable chapter in the India-US relationship. That is because of Donald Trump's hubris. It is also because India's diplomatic assumptions about Trump didn't pan out, and its diplomatic management of Trump showed gaps. Let's rewind.

Despite the as yet unspecified damage to jets, India's armed forces have come out credibly for their ability to mount an offensive at terror sites inside Pakistan, hit Pakistan's air bases and mount a robust air defence. Despite the failure in Pahalgam, India's intelligence agencies have come out credibly due to their ability to offer exact intelligence about terror locations and other Pakistani sites during the standoff. India's political leadership has come out credibly for being conscious of the need to maintain communal harmony, conveying it through the symbolism of pluralism and staying united.

But despite the initial outburst of international support for India after the Pahalgam terror attacks, India's diplomatic apparatus came in for some tough questioning. This has largely stemmed from the American role, and Donald Trump's projection of America's role.

Five features of Trump's repeated statements stand out. He has insisted that US mediation brought about the ceasefire. He has hinted that the conflict was on the verge of going nuclear. He has bragged that he used trade as a lever to force both sides to stop firing. He has claimed that India and Pakistan have been fighting for 1,000, even 1,500, years. And he has equated India and Pakistan, and India and Pakistan's prime ministers (PMs) while positioning himself as the peacemaker. India has, of course, rejected all of Trump's claims, politely.