Trump-Modi: True Healing Will Need More Than A Tweet

The statements were startling in the context of President Trump's recent pronouncements on India. "I will always be friends with Modi. He is a great Prime Minister" the American president told the assembled reporters at the White House on Friday. "India, the United States have special relationship. There is nothing to worry about," he added. When asked about his Truth Social post the previous day saying that India and Russia had been "lost" to "deepest, darkest China", he said, unflappably, "I don't think we have". He went on to add, "I get along very well with Modi. As you know, he was here a couple of months ago, we went to the Rose Garden."

The Indian prime minister was quick to respond to the tone and substance of the American President's remarks. "Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties," Narendra Modi posted on X. "India and the US have a very positive and forward looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership." Modi took care to tag both the American president's official handle, @POTUS, and his personal one, @realDonaldTrump.

An Overture, Not A Thaw

Was the Trump-Modi bromance of the former's first administration back on track? The latter's digital olive branch notwithstanding, it's too soon to say. Can the acrimony of recent weeks be overcome with a conciliatory tweet?

While Trump's words are a welcome, if long overdue, sight, we must not mistake a simple overture for a full thaw. The past few weeks of insults and tariffs - at 50%, India has been singled out (along with Brazil, with whom Trump has a different quarrel) for the highest tariffs in the world -  have inflicted a deep and palpable wound on the relationship, particularly in India. 

The public sentiment in the country remains bruised, and for good reason. President Trump's earlier remarks, pouring scorn on India's economic policies and questioning its standing, caused deep offence. His administration's tariffs, unilaterally imposed and often accompanied by thinly veiled insults, were a direct challenge to the mutual respect that is the bedrock of any successful strategic partnership. 

Trump Has Inflicted Serious Damage

The reactions in India have been loud and clear, echoing not just from the halls of power but from the streets and social media feeds of a proud and sensitive nation. It is a sentiment that will not heal overnight.

This is why, as I argued previously in my cricket-themed advice to bat for a big innings, India should play the long game. A great power's diplomacy must be guided by enduring strategic interests, not by the shifting tides of personal temperament. 

While the immediate offence of tariffs and insults was difficult to stomach, a more sober and far-sighted perspective reveals that the fundamentals of the US-India relationship - and its necessity in the current geopolitical landscape - remain unchanged. 

Shared Strengths

The two nations share a common interest in a stable Indo-Pacific, a desire for resilient supply chains that don't depend on a single power, in developing technological and security cooperation, and a commitment to democratic values, however imperfectly practised on both sides. In addition, the nearly four million Americans of Indian descent are a potent glue in the relationship between the two countries. These shared interests are the ballast that has been built over decades, and they must, in the end, help neutralise the acrimony caused by any single administration.

For this ballast to hold, however, the steadying process must continue beyond a few conciliatory tweets. Public opinion in India, deeply engaged and at times fiercely patriotic, will gradually calm itself, but the relationship will require constant, careful evaluation. 

The Healing Lies Elsewhere

This is where policymakers on both sides must assume leading roles, acting as the indispensable engineers of the relationship. Their work is to create the kind of institutional scaffolding that can withstand the inevitable storms of personalised diplomacy. 

The strength of the partnership lies not only in the bonhomie between two leaders but in the joint military exercises, the technology exchanges, the vibrant diaspora, and the countless back-channel communications that sustain the alliance behind the scenes. It is in these forums that true reconciliation - a healing of bruised sentiments and a rebuilding of trust - can be reaffirmed.

Of course, this process is fraught with the unpredictable. Personalised diplomacy, especially as practiced by the American President, is inherently mercurial. Just yesterday, he had declared that India and Russia were "lost" to China, a pronouncement that sent ripples of alarm and confusion across the world. His pronouncements are often volatile and seemingly contradictory, making any gesture of rapprochement feel tentative at best. 

Politics Is Never Static

Today's posts are an opening overture, perhaps, but they are not yet a full thaw. They are a starting point, a test of how much the past can be forgiven and how quickly trust can be rebuilt. 

True healing needs more than text. It needs sustained dialogue, tangible actions, and a return to the composed, mutual respect that once characterised this indispensable partnership. In the end, today's posts serve as a reminder that politics is never static. They are a sign that even the most acrimonious relationships can be steered back toward a path of cooperation. 

But the work has just begun. The task now falls to policymakers, diplomats, and leaders on both sides to seize this moment and build something more enduring than a 280-character message.

To go back to my favourite  sport, It's time to duck the last few bouncers and resume the long game with a straight bat and a keen eye for the scoring opportunities. A better result will be sure to come. 

(Shashi Tharoor is an author, former diplomat, and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author