India’s desperate attempts at being recognized as a regional ‘superpower’ have ensnared it in a high-stakes geopolitical tango. Narendra Modi’s hobnobbing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin was indeed a calculated jab to make the United States jealous. However, New Delhi’s provocative strut backfired, earning President Trump’s scorn instead of his favor.
As India preened over its new comradeship with Beijing and Moscow, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to slam New Delhi’s ploy. In the scathing post, he wrote that America has "lost" India and Russia to China. In his usual sarcastic tone, he also wished the trio a "long and prosperous future together". This remark was enough to gauge Trump’s frustration over India's oil purchases from Russia and coziness with Beijing. It also ignited a debate on the shifting global alliances.
Moreover, Indian media has also run news about Trump mulling banning American IT companies from outsourcing any work to India. The claim stemmed from far-right activist Laura Loomer's unverified statement on microblogging website X. Although still unverified, such a policy could have a massive impact on India's economy because the US accounts for about 60-70% of India's IT exports. This means an annual loss of $100 billion to $140 billion in export revenue, considering that India’s IT and business process management (BPM) sector generates more than $250 billion a year. Moreover, companies reliant on US clients for 50-60% of their revenue could face sharp declines in profits and stock values.
Meanwhile, India’s global image is taking a beating. The country has been trying hard, of late, to portray itself as a “rare capital” that has had good working relationships with everyone for its neutrality. However, this self-styled image appears hollow, for this neutrality is nothing more than opportunism guised as diplomacy.
India has boxed itself into a corner by posing as a neutral mediator. The West sees it as a useful market but not as a reliable ally. Moscow treats it as a buyer, not a partner, while Beijing considers it a convenient prop at summits, not a player. The global trust that the “balanced” New Delhi boasts of is nothing more than a myth
New Delhi continues to buy cheap Russian oil to fill its coffers, despite the US's retaliatory 50% tariffs on Indian goods. On the other hand, it mouths tall claims about brokering dialogue between conflicting parties – Russia and Ukraine in this case – without ever taking a stand. Calling this mediation is absurd because real mediators not only offer compromises but also put skin in the game. India has done none of that.
Putting the record straight, India has boxed itself into a corner by posing as a neutral mediator. The West sees it as a useful market but not as a reliable ally. Moscow treats it as a buyer, not a partner, while Beijing considers it a convenient prop at summits, not a player. The global trust that the “balanced” New Delhi boasts of is nothing more than a myth. The so-called secular state is merely tolerated, for it is a fence-sitter incapable of shaping history.
India has earned notoriety for being a pathological opportunist. An example would be the fading bromance the world witnessed during the ‘Howdy Modi’ and ‘Namaste Trump’ events. The Modi government, which used to heap praise on President Trump, is fiercely engaged in a [measured] tirade against the US, especially after Modi’s China visit. It cements the global belief that New Delhi will always jump ship for greener pastures. That makes the world keep its distance from India. This hypocrisy could cost India dearly. The longer it plays this game, the more it risks being branded a transactional state that has no clear loyalties.
Moreover, India’s attempt to look indispensable may actually expose its weakness. The country is too dependent on Russian oil, too cautious to confront China, and too anxious to let go of US markets. With such behavior, India may soon learn the hard way that trying to please everyone leaves it trusted by no one, and respected even less. It is only prudent for India to drop the desperate act before it finds itself not just out of step with the West but stranded on the global stage, with no one left to take its hand.
