2025 was a challenging year for India on the foreign relations front. Ties with strategic partners, such as the United States, frayed, and those with key neighbors, Pakistan and Bangladesh, worsened. India also found itself alone in times of crisis.

A silver lining came in the form of improved relations with China.

The mood in Delhi was upbeat at the start of the year. Indians welcomed Donald Trump’s return for a second term as U.S. president. During his first term, bilateral relations were warm and Trump had established a close rapport with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While there were apprehensions in Delhi that differences over trade and immigration would surface, analysts felt these could be addressed. The fact that close India-U.S. relations enjoyed a bipartisan consensus in the U.S. and the Trump-Modi friendship were expected to reduce the severity of any American action.

However, India had underestimated Trump’s capacity for disruption and was caught unprepared for what unfolded in the subsequent months.

While the Trump administration slapped “reciprocal tariffs” on friends and foes alike, the 50 percent tariff on India, 25 percent of which was “penalty” for India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, came as a shock to Delhi. Not only was it among the highest in the world, but India also felt it was being selectively targeted. Other buyers of Russian oil, including China and the EU, were not similarly penalized. Talks on tariffs continued throughout 2025, but a trade deal has remained elusive. Differences over the U.S.’ cancellation of H-1B visas for Indians also remained unresolved as of year’s end.

Trump’s repeated claims that he ended the India-Pakistan military clashes in May riled the Modi government. India has traditionally opposed third-party mediation in its disputes with Pakistan, and Trump’s assertion over 60 times between May 10 and December 22 to having convinced the two sides to halt the war left Modi appearing to have bowed to U.S. pressure on matters of India’s national security.

Trump added salt to the wound with his sudden courting of Pakistan. Not only did he host

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