Trump Humiliates India Daily. We Helped Him Do It

From Howdy Modi to Handcuffed Indians: A Love Story

Not a day has gone by since Donald Trump’s return to the White House that he hasn’t taken aim at India—our economy, our leadership, our very dignity.

He’s labeled India’s economy as “dead,” claimed sole credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire, met Pakistan’s General Asim Munir, and slapped a staggering 50% tariff on Indian goods. And yet, from New Delhi, there’s been little more than silence.

This humiliation isn’t random. It's not unpredictable.
It’s the predictable outcome of a foreign policy built on optics, not outcomes—a diplomacy designed to serve headlines and corporate interests, not national pride or public welfare.

Let’s rewind.

The Optics We Called “Historic”

Back in 2019, Prime Minister Modi embraced Trump at the now-famous Howdy Modi rally in Houston. He stood on U.S. soil and endorsed a foreign leader with the slogan “Ab Ki Baar, Trump Sarkar”—a move widely cheered by Indian media and diaspora influencers.

Then came Trump’s visit to India in 2020. I was there at the Motera Stadium as a journalist. The optics were grand. Over a lakh people were bussed in by the Gujarat government. Crores of taxpayer money were spent. Modi and Trump hugged again. This was sold to us as a “Vishwaguru moment.”

Critics were warned. Don’t question. Don't ruin the moment. The ones who did were labeled anti-nationals, haters, traitors.

But the moment passed. And then the bill arrived.

✈️ Deportations in Military Aircraft

Trump returned to power in 2024, and almost immediately, Indian students and visa holders were among the first to be hit. Some were deported in handcuffs, on military aircraft. These weren’t drug smugglers or criminals. These were students, tech workers, and professionals—people who had legally contributed to both economies.

India protested—in meek terms.

Then came Trump’s 30+ claims about engineering peace between India and Pakistan. The Nobel Peace Prize whispers began. India never firmly pushed back. We waited while the opposition demanded answers. We were told that asking questions made us unpatriotic.

The Great Flip-Flop

Today, Modi shakes hands with the leader of the Maldives.
Last year, our influencers were making videos boycotting the Maldives.

This week, Modi travels to China for the SCO summit.
Just two years ago, people were burning Chinese goods in the streets. Journalists were jailed for being “pro-China.”

We were told to be angry when convenient. Told to calm down when inconvenient. When Modi hugged Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, the nationalist outrage was toned down—because the ultimate patriot had hugged a former enemy. That made it okay.

Now, the same patriot asks us to ban Instagram handles linked to Pakistan.

Is this foreign policy or a meme war?

And While All This Happened...

Reliance, led by Mukesh Ambani, made record profits refining and re-exporting Russian crude oil. While the West imposed sanctions after the Ukraine war, India became one of the top buyers of discounted Russian oil. Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery quietly became a key node in this rerouting of global energy flows.

The government stood by. The world watched. And Reliance profited.

Meanwhile, Indian citizens were told to “sacrifice,” to “boycott,” to “take pride” in bans and burnings.

This wasn’t diplomacy—it was a business model masquerading as nationalism. It was capitalism wearing a saffron scarf.

Reuters Spills the Quiet Part

A Reuters report published just days ago quoted a senior Indian government official admitting that the collapse of trade talks and the tariff backlash were due to poor judgment:

“We lacked the diplomatic support needed after the U.S. struck better deals with Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and the EU. We’re now in a crisis that could have been avoided.”

And yet, PM Modi responds to Trump’s tariff threats by saying he’s “willing to pay a heavy price” for India’s farmers.

Yes—the same farmers who were demonized, jailed, called anti-nationals during the protests. Now they're useful again.

So Where Does That Leave Us?

Where does this leave our foreign policy?
Where does this leave our self-respect?
What does it say about the patriotism that’s demanded only from ordinary citizens, while corporations and leaders cash in?

We were told to wave flags.
We should’ve read the fine print.

This isn’t about love for the nation.
It’s about the silence we sold in its name.