The recent tariff war between the USA and India has done more than merely shake markets; it has ripped the cloak off New Delhi’s much-endorsed doctrine of “Non-Alignment” and “Strategic Autonomy,” exposing it for what it truly is: a carefully crafted policy of opportunism and manipulation.
For decades, India has portrayed itself as a principled player in the global order— “doing “business with all” while supposedly charting an independent path. Yet the unfolding events reveal a leadership more intent on playing all sides against each other than on standing by any genuine principle. India’s retaliatory tariffs, digital tax disputes, and protectionist posturing expose the policies, increasingly willing to weaponize its economic relationships to extract short-term gains. Far from being a principled power, India appears to be playing all sides— not to preserve autonomy, but to manipulate leverage.
In an executive order signed on 6th August, US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, characterizing the measure as a punitive response to India’s continued imports of Russian oil, which he claimed were “fuelling Russia’s war machine.” This new levy comes on top of a previously announced 25 percent tariff targeting Indian exports, further escalating trade tensions between the two nations. On the surface, India postures as if it is challenging Washington’s hegemony— holding photo-op meetings with Russia and China, issuing strongly worded statements in Hindi for domestic applause, and projecting an image of defiance. But peel back the rhetoric, and the story changes. Behind closed doors, Indian diplomacy works feverishly to soothe American tempers, ensuring that no “red lines” are crossed. This dual-track approach— one for the cameras, another for backroom negotiations— is not the art of balance, but the politics of deceit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s early responses to Washington’s tariff squeeze betrayed their frustration. They publicly complained about India being singled out, pointing to Russia’s flourishing trade with the European Union, China, and others. Here is the irony: India continues to court these same countries for trade deals and political backing, hoping to reap benefits from all camps simultaneously.
The unfolding debacle confirms the old adage: “A sensible enemy is better than a foolish friend.” For Washington, New Delhi’s unreliable manoeuvring is proving more worrisome than the actions of outright rivals. India’s desire to appear indispensable to everyone, while being accountable to none, risks eroding trust on all fronts. For Washington, the frustration is not rooted in hostility— but in disappointment. India, long viewed as a natural ally in the Indo-Pacific region and a counterweight to Chinese influence, is increasingly behaving like a partner unwilling to choose a side, yet eager to reap the benefits of all. Its continued import of Russian oil, despite Western sanctions and appeals, has triggered disciplinary tariffs and diplomatic rebukes. But the deeper concern is not just economic— it’s strategic.
The tariff war between the USA and India is more than an economic dispute; it is a political unmasking. India’s duplicity has not only been exposed but also challenged by the very powers it sought to manipulate. In an interconnected world, the pretence of playing all sides while committing to none, is a dangerous gamble. As Modi and his pack dig deeper into the grave of their own arrogance, the lesson for the watching world is clear: masks, no matter how artfully worn, eventually slip
And then there is the shadow of “Operation Sindoor,” a graveyard where the century’s self-styled strongman, Narendra Modi, and his team of political butchers appear to be burying themselves deeper with each miscalculation. Their attempts to outwit all sides are increasingly backfiring, leaving them entangled in contradictions and diplomatic traps of their own making. Rather than emerging as a master strategist, Modi finds himself crumbled in contradictions of his own making. His administration’s efforts to play all sides have led to mounting pressure from allies and adversaries alike, exposing the limits of transactional diplomacy.
The result is a foreign policy increasingly defined not by coherence, but by improvisation and reactive posturing. Just recently, after ninety-four days, Indian Chief of Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, absurdly claimed that India had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft on May 25. Military analysts worldwide have expressed surprise at India’s delayed and unsubstantiated claims, noting that such post-conflict assertions are unprecedented. Such assertions by India have precipitated significant backlash, both domestically and internationally.
The tariff war between the USA and India is more than an economic dispute; it is a political unmasking. India’s duplicity has not only been exposed but also challenged by the very powers it sought to manipulate. In an interconnected world, the pretence of playing all sides while committing to none, is a dangerous gamble. As Modi and his pack dig deeper into the grave of their own arrogance, the lesson for the watching world is clear: masks, no matter how artfully worn, eventually slip.
