Henry Kissinger was right after all

Indians wonder why DJT is tightening the noose on India, damaging the trust, warmth and mutually beneficial multi-dimensional relationship assiduously cultivated over the last 25 years.

- SURENDRA KUMAR

When Dr Henry Kissinger wrote: "It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal;" hardly anyone in India paid any attention.

They dismissed the statement with a shrug: it doesn't apply to us; none can accuse us of being America's enemy. We were never great chums of Uncle Sam, so the latter half of Henry's statement won't hold water for us. However, the anti-India decisions of Donald Trump Presidency 2.0 since February 2025, the manner of their articulation and unfriendly language used have shaken Indians out of their cosy slumber.

After India attained Independence from 200 years of exploitative British rule, the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru helped draw a new strategy of international relations to safeguard and promote national interests, smartly called the Non-Alignment Movement. It served us well during the cold war. In essence, it was the precursor of today's much hyped strategic autonomy.

Viewing India as a camp follower of the communist Soviet Union, the US didn't extend any assistance to India except on a few instances: President Kennedy quickly responded to supply military equipment and other requirements in the wake of the Chinese invasion of 1962, a request hesitatingly made by Nehru and strongly supported by the then US ambassador, Kenneth Galbraith and the controversial PL 480 which facilitated supply of food grains which saved millions of lives. The contribution of American agricultural scientists to India's Green Revolution also deserves appreciation.