When it comes to bromances, President Donald Trump typically runs hot and cold. Remember Elon Musk? Vladimir Putin? First they’re besties, then they’re trading barbs. The latest example? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During Trump’s first term, Modi joined a Texas-sized rally in Houston to celebrate the strong ties between the US and India. Then Modi brought Trump to an Indian rally in the world’s largest cricket stadium. A lot of hand-holding ensued.

Flash-forward to Trump 2.0, and all is not well in the Trump-Modi bromance. That’s perhaps a microcosm of frayed ties between the United States and India, which is the world’s largest democracy. Plus, Indian immigrants make up the majority of H1-B visa holders in the United States.

So what went wrong?

Punishing US tariffs against India certainly plays a big role (Trump has blamed Modi for enacting “strenuous and obnoxious” trade barriers). Last month, the Trump administration imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods; it added another 25 percent as punishment for India’s purchase of discounted crude oil from Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022. “Vladimir, Stop!” Trump posted this year to Truth Social, castigating another former bromantic partner.

Then you throw in some geopolitical intrigue for good measure. Trump is currently courting India’s rival, Pakistan; after a war nearly broke out in May over a terrorist attack in the disputed Kashmir region, Trump claimed that he brokered a ceasefire (Modi disputes this). India’s rival Pakistan then flattered Trump by nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. In kind, Trump invited Pakistan’s top military official to the White House.

For more on the past, present, and future of Trump and Modi’s broken bromance, Today, Explained co-host Sean Ramewaram spoke with Sadanand Dhume, a columnist at the........

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