Key Points:
Modi’s take at ignoring the call does not reflect just anger but a firm stand. India seeks equal partnership, not pressure-driven diplomacy where deals are dictated by Washington.
Trump’s tariff imposition of first 25% and then an additional penalty of 25%, total of 50% on Indian goods further triggered the fiction.
Analysts warned that the alienation of India can be proved to be a ‘strategic disaster’ and can cause problems in the Indo-Pacific power balance.
New Delhi, 27 August, 2025: German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored four phone calls from the US President Donald Trump over the recent weeks.
It points towards the growing fracture in the relationship between two world leaders. The once recognized to be one of the most important 21st century partnerships is now facing trade wars and trust deficiency shifting to bitterness.
Earlier this year, the dynamics of their relationship seemed quite different with all smiles and handshakes. With the visit of Modi to the White House on 13th February this year, both the leaders vowed to push India-U.S trade to $500 billion by 2030 under ‘Mission 500’.
The relationship seemed to have grown stronger benefitting both the nations. Now back to the present, things seem to have flipped entirely. Trump slapped a 25% tariff on Indian goods on August 7th this year, only to double it to a crazy 50% on 27th of the same month.
An additional 25% as a penalty to the existing 25% tariff. This was believed to have been done as a form of retaliation for India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude and delay in finalizing a trade pact with Washington.
In hindsight, Trump’s call seems to be more of a Pressuring tactic and Modi’s refusal to engage with it is a silent roar announcing that India would not be following orders but would rather put its interest first.
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This is a conscious decision where Modi made it clear that India has signed for partnership where both are decision-makers and the power does not solely lie with the U.S and India does not want to be a part of the diplomacy where deals are announced before being fully negotiated.
Exporters have warned about India’s shipment to the US to tumble to nearly $50 billion by 2026 from $86.5 billion last year, possibly hurting key Indian sectors like textiles, gems, jewellery, shrimp exports and auto components. It is just not about trade but the rift risks spilling into strategic cooperation.
For years, there has been partnership in the Indo-Pacific quad including India, US, Japan and Australia. The sourness in the bond may weaken the collective efforts to balance the growing clout of China.
Even voices in the US are uneasy. Former UN ambassador, Nikki Haley called Trump’s tariff move to be a ‘strategic disaster’, warning that alienating India can cause harm to America’s interest in Asia. There’s even a call-out of Trump’s repeated declaration to have played a role in the India-Pak ceasefire to be a desperate move to gain the Nobel Peace Prize.
The political fallout is quite mixed back home in India. Modi is being mocked by the opposition parties for supposedly failing to prevent the tariff squeeze. To which Modi stands strong on being a protector of farmers, small businesses and national dignity in the face of external pressure. There were also talks about India slowing certain U.S. defence procurement deals, a claim officially denied.
To sum all up, the refusal to accept Trump’s call symbolizes a larger rift where personal warmth can no longer pacify the clash of national interest. The days of friendship seem to be at a distance. Now, The India-U.S relationship is entering a phase of cold calculations where trade wars, oil deals and strategic choices have outweighed friendly handshake. [Rh/SY]
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