Trump's India Blunders: Five Key Missteps in US-India Relations

• Donald Trump's second term, starting January 2025, saw strained US-India relations due to his policies and rhetoric.
• Trump's tariff demands, including a 50% levy on Indian goods and threats over Russian oil, failed to sway India, which bolstered its economy through reforms and 'Made in India' initiatives.
• India rejected Trump's offer of F-35 fighter jets in 2025, citing existing procurement processes and declining further defence acquisitions despite US pressure.
• Trump falsely claimed India ordered 68 Apache helicopters and that PM Modi sought a meeting over delivery delays; India had ordered 28, all delivered by December 2025.
• Trump repeatedly and falsely asserted he de-escalated the India-Pakistan conflict during Operation Sindoor and inaccurately labeled India's economy as 'dead', despite its rapid growth and rise to the world's fourth-largest economy.

Why It Matters: Trump's second term was marked by several misjudgments regarding India's economy, defence, and foreign policy.