In India, the camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump was seen as a bond like no other. They showered praise on each other, and stood side by side at packed stadium rallies — a powerful optics boost for two populist leaders with shared ideological leanings.
Each called the other a “good friend.” That is, until a series of developments began to test the relationship.
From Trump’s tariffs and India’s continued purchase of Russian oil to what many perceive as a growing US tilt towards Pakistan, tensions between New Delhi and Washington are becoming harder to ignore — much of it playing out on social media.
Policy experts are now questioning whether the once-celebrated rapport has run its course. While Trump has stopped short of directly naming Modi in his online barbs, the chill in ties has raised concerns about the future of a strategic bilateral relationship built painstakingly over decades.
“This is a testing time for the relationship,” said Ashok Malik, a former adviser at India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The latest flashpoint came last week when Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, along with an unspecified penalty tied to India’s continued oil trade with Russia. The decision — targeting one of Washington’s largest trading partners — has triggered anxiety in New Delhi, especially after Trump posted on social media calling India’s economy “dead.”
According to a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity, Trump’s outbursts reflect frustration over the slow pace of trade negotiations rather than any strategic pivot toward Pakistan. Still, the rhetoric has rattled Indian policymakers.
On Monday, Trump doubled down, accusing India via Truth Social of buying “massive amounts” of Russian oil and reselling it “on the open market for big profits.”
“They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA,” he wrote.
The remarks have frustrated India’s trade negotiators, who have been trying to strike a delicate balance between the country’s protectionist instincts and US demands for greater market access.
Ashok Malik noted that the Indian side had offered what may be “the most expansive” trade deal in the country’s history — including tentative access to certain US agricultural products, a politically sensitive area for Modi after a year-long farmers’ protest.
While tariffs sparked the most recent fallout, underlying tensions have been building for months — particularly over Trump’s overtures to Pakistan.
In May, India and Pakistan engaged in cross-border strikes after a deadly attack in Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. It was Trump’s claim of having mediated a “solution” to the Kashmir dispute — repeated 29 times since — that most alarmed the Modi government. Domestically, Modi has built his image as tough on Pakistan and internationally has worked to diplomatically isolate Islamabad. Trump’s statements undermined both narratives.
Last week, Modi appeared to indirectly dismiss Trump’s claims, stating, “no country in the world stopped” the recent hostilities — without naming the US president.
Further fuelling concerns, Trump praised Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and announced a “massive” oil exploration deal with Islamabad just hours after levying tariffs on India. He also recently hosted the Pakistani army chief for a private lunch.
“Trump’s sudden admiration for Pakistan as a great partner in counter-terrorism has definitely soured the mood in India,” an analyst noted.
A key sticking point for the US is India’s continued purchase of Russian oil — a move that drew criticism even during the Biden administration, though it eventually faded as Washington prioritised strategic engagement with India to counter-balance China.
Trump, however, has revived the issue with vigour. On Sunday, his deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller accused India of “financing Russia’s war” through oil purchases, calling the practice “unacceptable.” Trump followed with another post threatening more tariffs.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil — they are then selling much of it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed,” Trump alleged. Some observers believe the rhetoric is part of a negotiating strategy.
Despite Trump’s provocations, India’s official response has been measured — at least initially. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reiterated that both countries were working toward a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement.”
But on Monday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a sharper statement, calling Trump’s remarks “unjustified and unreasonable” and warning that India would take “all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
The statement also defended India’s energy decisions, noting that the country turned to Russian oil only after traditional suppliers redirected shipments to Europe following the Ukraine conflict.
“This was a necessity compelled by the global market situation,” the ministry said.
It also pointed out the apparent hypocrisy in Trump’s criticism: “It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.”
