As Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy reshapes Washington’s priorities, New Delhi finds itself walking a diplomatic tightrope: preserving a vital partnership with the United States while safeguarding its own strategic autonomy and regional interests

Anticipation ran high ahead of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the recent G-7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. The encounter marked their first bilateral engagement since February 2025 — a 16-month hiatus that underscored the growing friction in India-US ties.

While New Delhi subsequently sought to dismiss the prolonged gap as “nothing unusual”, the reality is quite different. Following the meeting, foreign secretary Vikram Misri acknowledged the strain, noting that “relationships naturally go through ups and downs” and that both nations must actively “manage those fluctuations”. This candid admission confirms that managing bilateral friction has replaced the unabashed optimism and strategic convergence during Trump’s first term in 2017-2021.

A keyword in Misri’s statement was “manage” — a deliberate choice that reflected New Delhi’s pragmatic approach toward Trump’s unpredictable, transactional foreign policy approach. Indeed, the Trump administration’s disruptive policy shifts and rhetoric have strained bilateral relations, forcing India to recalibrate its approach to protect its own strategic interests. The Modi-Trump meeting was clearly not a “reset”........

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