As Prime Minister Narendra Modi approaches his 75th birthday on September 17, he faces what may be his most challenging year yet. From navigating punitive 50 per cent US tariffs to managing coalition politics for the first time, the tests before him would break lesser leaders. Yet Modi’s remarkable journey from RSS pracharak to global statesman reveals a consistent pattern: each crisis becomes a catalyst for reinvention and every setback a launchpad for a spectacular comeback.

The tariff war with Donald Trump exemplifies Modi’s crisis-to-opportunity playbook. When the US President imposed crushing 50 per cent duties on Indian goods in August, many expected Modi to capitulate. Instead, he delivered a masterclass in strategic defiance. Rather than bend to Washington’s pressure, Modi declared unequivocally: “Pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it all". His message was unmistakable: India would not compromise on farmers, small industries, or national interests.

What followed was pure Modi alchemy. Within 24 hours of Trump’s tariff imposition, Brazilian President Lula called to affirm commitment to defending multilateralism. Modi’s National Security Adviser met Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Prime Minister confirmed his visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit—his first trip to Beijing in seven years. The world watched as Modi transformed Trump’s economic punishment into diplomatic opportunity, positioning India as the leader of a new global order resistant to Western bullying.

At the SCO summit, Modi stood alongside Xi Jinping and Putin. The images sent the United States into a tizzy. Former........

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