President Donald Trump’s biting criticism of India at the UN General Assembly strongly suggests that his much-publicized “friendship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is purely transactional, offering little comfort when Indian policies diverge from American demands. The speech served as a stark reality check for New Delhi.
For years, the personal chemistry between Trump and Modi has been presented as a key asset for the bilateral relationship. Phrases like “my good friend” and events like the “Howdy, Modi!” rally created an image of a deep, personal bond that could overcome policy differences.
Trump’s UN address dismantled that image. He publicly shamed India, calling it a “primary funder” of the Ukraine war for buying Russian oil. This was not the act of a loyal friend but of a transactional leader applying maximum pressure to achieve a specific outcome. The friendship narrative was quickly discarded when it conflicted with the policy goal of isolating Russia.
Furthermore, Trump’s revival of the disputed claim about stopping an India-Pakistan war showed a willingness to undermine a “friend’s” international standing for personal political gain—in this case, to bolster his case for a Nobel Peace Prize.
The speech, combined with punitive measures like 50% tariffs and high H-1B visa fees, paints a clear picture. The “friendship” is a tool to be used when convenient, but the underlying relationship is governed by a strict, “America First” calculus. For India, this means that even under a friendly banner, it must be prepared for hardball tactics and public confrontations.
