Journalist Fareed Zakaria has warned that ties between India and the United States have suffered a major setback under President Donald Trump’s second term.
He described Washington’s recent moves as the “biggest foreign policy mistake by Trump 2.0.”
Speaking on CNN, Zakaria argued that the Trump administration’s decision to penalise India for purchasing Russian oil — while simultaneously finalising an oil deal with Pakistan — has created a trust deficit in New Delhi. He suggested the episode could mark a turning point in the bilateral relationship.
“The US strategic outreach towards India has been in a bipartisan manner over the past 25 years, but the carefully built diplomatic progress has been undone in a few weeks by Trump 2.0,” Zakaria said. He added that India may now reconsider its foreign policy alignments, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has already pursued a multi-aligned approach in recent years.
Explaining New Delhi’s likely response, he remarked: “Indians believe that America has shown its true colors, it's unreliable, its willingness to be brutal to those it calls its friends. They will understandably feel that they need to hedge their bets. Stay close to Russia, and even make amends with China.”
Zakaria traced the history of India-US ties, noting that New Delhi’s long-standing policy of nonalignment began shifting with former US President Bill Clinton’s 2000 visit. This was followed by George W. Bush’s administration elevating India’s status to that of a great power and signing the landmark civil nuclear agreement with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
He also highlighted President Barack Obama’s “pivot to Asia” strategy, which included supporting India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, as another milestone in the partnership.
Commenting on Trump’s first term and Joe Biden’s presidency, Zakaria observed: “Trump also embraced and promoted his personal relationship with Prime Minister Modi. President Biden built on the Trump legacy, forging greater cooperation in defense and economics. India began planning to cooperate with the US in the manufacture of everything from fighter jets to computer chips.”
However, Zakaria stressed that these efforts have now been reversed. Even if Washington attempts to recalibrate its approach, he said, the “damage is done.”