Why India has soured on Trump ahead of US midterms

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that India’s relationship with the Trump administration has deteriorated sharply ahead of the November U.S. midterm elections, a striking reversal from the public warmth shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Trump’s first presidency. In 2019, Modi actively praised Trump at a Houston rally and even echoed a campaign slogan in support of him, but Indian officials are now speaking more openly about disputes with Washington.

The article says tensions have built over multiple issues, including stalled trade negotiations, U.S. tariffs, pressure on India to reduce purchases of Russian oil, higher H-1B visa fees, tighter U.S. immigration enforcement, and Trump’s claims that he mediated an India-Pakistan ceasefire, which New Delhi rejects. Indian officials have also objected to what they see as softer U.S. treatment of Pakistan and harsher rhetoric aimed at Indian workers and Indian Americans.

Al Jazeera cites analysts who say the Modi government has generally remained restrained, but that the attacks on India and its diaspora have “struck a nerve.” The story also places the shift in a broader historical context: India has often found Republican administrations easier to work with, yet the current period has introduced new distrust. With Trump facing possible midterm losses that could weaken his agenda, some observers think New Delhi may quietly prefer a chastened White House.