At the global stage, the first two years of Donald Trump's second term have been catastrophic; many will argue that the next two could be worse.
The 'Strained' India–America relations under Trump 2.0 put to test India’s strategic autonomy.
India had a long-standing commitment to maintaining equidistance in its foreign policy. This was also a risky roadmap threatening New Delhi's 'relevance' in international affairs. The Modi Govt pushed for a more proactive approach to strategic autonomy and slowly this strengthened India’s position even as it manages a cooling relationship with the US.
Having said these, we must remember New Delhi was among the most eager to welcome Trump’s second term in office. But the ties soared amid 50 per cent tariffs and India outright rejecting Trump's claims that Washington had brokered the India–Pakistan ceasefire in May 2025.
The partnership still faces several structural challenges even as optimists try to bank a lot on past 'deep linkages'.
The future of global politics as well as India-US ties are uncertain. Amid the reckless war in the Middle East and some major chaos in Europe, the shadow of a new world order dos not look all that fine.
Vladimir Putin has able to re-establish Moscow's position in more ways than one. Moscow has proposed a summit between Russia, US under Trump and China’s Xi Jinping, to be held in China next month.
Does it mean; Trump could leave his most dangerous legacy -- a world divided into three and yet these three nations will run the show with their own distinct agenda. Where would a country like India accommodate itself ?
BRICS is just one option. But China has a peculiar nature when it comes to borders. Lately, the border pockets of Asaphila and Longju in Arunachal Pradesh remain sensitive due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.
The ground is stated to be stable nevertheless. Located within the Taksing Circle of Arunachal Pradesh, the two areas experience periodic friction as Indian and Chinese patrols encounter each other during routine operations.
Such encounters have become a recurring feature of the security environment in these sectors.
A regional party the People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) delegation led by a former minister and PPA chief adviser Kahfa Bengia, visited Taksing on July 10, 2026.
The party's findings have emerged amid renewed concerns over Chinese activities along the LAC in Upper Subansiri district. Itanagar-based The Arunachal Times newspaper reported on August 10 that a four-member PPA's FFC had found that PLA troops were effectively blocking Indian access to designated patrolling points. Even as the Govt denied the reports, the PPA had said that Chinese "incremental intrusions" were being consolidated on the ground.
On the global stage yet again, the US under Trump is offering a peculiar scenario.
Last year’s National Security Strategy was deeply critical of the US’s traditional allies in Europe and east Asia. To the surprise of many Russia and China were given undue weightage.
The 33-page document made 'clear' that so long as the US still had economic dominance, it cared little whether other parts of the world are protected. “The affairs of other countries are our concern only if their activities directly threaten our interests.” America’s allies had “sucked" US into conflicts and controversies central to their interests but peripheral or irrelevant to America's own interests.
For Putin, this is a success. He always believed that American support for democracy in eastern Europe and central Asia was “interference” in Russia’s backyard. Now the US president says so. The papers also applauded China for being “rich and powerful".
Worse, the section on Russia’s war in Ukraine fails to mention how it started and did not suggest that Putin should be defeated.
India playing the 'long game' with the US
There are some complex matters in US-India diplomacy and commerce. In 2025-26, the US remained India’s largest goods trade partner and its single largest export market. All these in a year of post-Sindoor remarks from Trump and repeated threats on tariffs.
The US is also India’s largest source of foreign portfolio investment and one of its top FDI sources.
Moreover, there have been 13 industry agreements and licenses, and multiple defense procurement pacts.
India signed a $45.7 million Javelin anti-tank missile purchase and a $204.5 million lease of two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones.
Tata Advanced Systems and the Lockheed Martin-Raytheon Javelin Joint Venture signed an MoU to explore production in India.
HAL reported resolving technical issues surrounding the proposed co-production of 99 GE F414 engines. Honeywell licensed GMR Aero Technic to maintain components on LEAP engines. Moreover, Boeing Defence India partnered with Merlinhawk Aerospace to sustain sensors on Indian platforms.
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The India–US strategic, economic, and technological partnership maintains deep foundational strengths despite periodic political and trade headwinds.
• Trade volume reached approximately $240 billion, with ongoing momentum toward a broader economic framework. They also share a robust defense partnership featuring joint military exercises (including complex drills near the border), logistics cooperation, intelligence-sharing, and co-production of hardware under the U.S.–India Major Defense Partnership.
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