Modi, Trump, and the price of silence: Washington’s noise, New Delhi’s nod?

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* 

U.S. President Donald Trump has launched yet another barrage of statements that do little more than embarrass the U.S. administration and isolate the United States further on the global stage. His recent claim that he “stopped a war” between India and Pakistan may contain a grain of truth—especially given how both nations' leaders seem keen to remain in Washington’s good books—but it exposes deeper problems. For decades, I have maintained that Pakistan’s elite have been spinelessly obedient to U.S. interests. In fact, the country’s very creation was aimed at safeguarding colonial economic interests in South Asia.

Trump’s outbursts may hand political ammunition to India’s opposition parties, who are eager to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, obsessively focusing on events like the Balakot incident or the loss of fighter jets could be counterproductive. These are issues that are better exposed by independent voices—like the French journalists investigating alleged corruption in the Rafale deal—rather than being used as daily political footballs.

The Indian government’s response to U.S. interference has so far been timid. While leaders in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico—who are quite literally in America’s backyard—are standing up to U.S. hegemony, India remains remarkably polite. Even opposition parties seem unwilling to challenge Washington’s growing impositions.

Donald Trump epitomizes a new kind of American arrogance—governing by tweet and driven more by ego than understanding. His 2016 victory was born out of domestic frustration with America’s endless foreign interventions disguised as pro-democracy missions. Yet, even his successor Joe Biden, under the pretense of countering Russia, pursued policies that proved equally dangerous. The effort to demonize Vladimir Putin backfired spectacularly. Russia is not Syria or Iran—it is a nuclear-armed global player with long-standing geopolitical concerns.

Trump’s fantasy of ending the Russia-Ukraine war “in 24 hours” was not just delusional; it showed a staggering ignorance of history and power dynamics. Meanwhile, Russian advances in eastern Ukraine continue, much of it being territory rich in rare earth elements—resources Western corporations had heavily invested in. Perhaps this is the real reason behind Trump’s visible frustration: economic interests disguised as diplomacy.

What the world is witnessing is a shift in power. Countries like Russia, China, Iran, Brazil, and North Korea are asserting themselves. India must now decide where it stands. If the U.S. continues to undermine India’s autonomy, it may inevitably push us toward strategic alternatives.

The era of unipolar dominance is over. Washington and London can no longer behave like schoolmasters in a classroom of disobedient children. We are entering a truly multipolar world where nations are demanding respect and equality—not lectures.

India must assert its sovereignty and resist U.S. and EU bullying. Western sanctions against Russia have largely failed, and recent aggressive rhetoric from some U.S. lawmakers—including calls to bomb Russia—reflects a dangerous mindset. Such statements expose the intellectual and moral decay among many Western leaders, who now seem more loyal to arms manufacturers than to peace and diplomacy.

It is time for realism and statesmanship. Global peace cannot be achieved without recognizing the complex legacies of Western colonialism. Much of today's global instability stems from borders and divisions imposed by British imperial policy, and meaningful peace will require confronting and correcting those historic injustices.

Western hypocrisy stands fully exposed when they justify the genocide in Gaza by defending Israel’s “right to self-defense” but refuse to acknowledge Russia’s own security concerns regarding NATO expansion. This selective morality has become the hallmark of Western diplomacy.

We are now at a critical juncture—perhaps the most dangerous moment since World War II. Leaders must rise to the occasion, not with bluster or bravado, but with wisdom, courage, and a genuine commitment to global justice. Let us strive for peace—not by preaching, but by listening, understanding, and correcting the wrongs of history.

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*Human rights defender