FEW sayings capture diplomacy as well as Churchill’s remark, “Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell in such a manner that they actually start looking forward to the trip.”
This was evident when the Indian media celebrated the handshake between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.
Beneath the surface, however, was a diplomatic defeat for Modi, who acquiesced to Trump’s demands without protest, offering a stark display of submission.
During their joint presser, Modi, who projects India as a rising power, appeared as a subordinate eager to please. He conceded to hefty reciprocal tariffs, a proposal for US arms deals and the deportation of illegal migrants. Modi also complied with the extradition of Canadian-Pakistani citizen Tahoor Rana and a casual mention of Pakistan in the context of terrorism—actions that held no strategic or economic benefit for India.
The most striking concession was the imposition of a 29% tariff on Indian imports, the highest among major US trading partners. Modi accepted it without protest. Trump also sought to double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, but this would likely tilt the balance in favour of the US. The tariffs expose the reality of international politics—aligning strategically doesn’t guarantee economic favour from allies. Trump’s approach, akin to Nixon’s “madman” strategy, undermined India’s long-held economic privileges.
In defence, Trump proposed a multi-billion-dollar arms deal, including F-35 fighter jets. While India’s media hailed this as a victory, defence experts were unimpressed. Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, which prioritizes technology transfers and India’s indigenous defence projects, would suffer setbacks if these deals went ahead. The F-35 offer benefits US defence producers and preserves American strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region, not India’s defence autonomy.
The energy sector saw further diplomatic surrender. Since the Russia-Ukraine war, India has defied Western sanctions to buy Russian oil, claiming strategic autonomy. However, Modi caved when Trump announced the sale of US oil to India. While Russian oil is cheap due to sanctions, US oil would likely be priced higher. Trump’s manoeuvre secures a lucrative energy market for the US while undermining India’s strategic autonomy.
The most glaring submission came with Modi’s compliance to Trump’s deportation policy, which has been criticized globally. Hours before the Modi-Trump handshake, a US military plane carrying shackled Indian citizens landed in India. While India’s stance against human trafficking is understandable, the timing and method of deportation highlight the erosion of Modi’s claims of global respect for Indian citizens abroad.
Trump’s aggressive diplomacy exposed Modi’s inability to push back against unfair tariffs, protect India’s defence autonomy, ensure affordable energy imports or defend the dignity of Indian migrants. Instead, Modi became a passive participant in Trump’s unilateral deal-making, further proving Churchill’s point.
Ameer Abdullah Khan is a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Lahore.
He can be reached at info@casslhr.com.
