What’s Trump’s Crazy U-Turn on the Tariff War With India? What Changed?

The debate stemmed from Trump’s sudden shift — first alleging India was “lost to China” on Truth Social, then hours later calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “great friend” and affirming the India–US “special relationship.” This, even as 50% tariffs, partly tied to India’s Russian oil imports, remain unresolved.

David Frum called Trump “volatile, unstable, and unreliable,” cautioning India not to take his words at face value. Dr. Mohan Kumar, however, argued Modi’s conciliatory response on X was a smart diplomatic move, seizing an “offramp” to de-escalate tensions. Tavleen Singh strongly disagreed, criticizing India’s public response as unnecessary “Twitter diplomacy.” Chitra Subramaniam added that uncertainty in Washington fuels instability in trade and H-1B visas, making private dialogue more prudent.

Despite divergent views, all agreed the stakes are high. India’s economy cannot afford prolonged trade disruptions, and geopolitical balance against China makes US ties vital.

Barkha Dutt concluded that while the current tone seems calmer, volatility defines this phase of India–US ties. For now, uncertainty remains the only constant.