‘India’s export basket has no irreplaceables, it’s a vulnerability in Trump’s power politics’

Since his return to power, US President Donald Trump has issued a series of tariff threats to India. His manner is relentless, and India’s discomfort noticeably large, though the Modi government has launched no explicit critique yet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had celebrated Trump’s return to power, fondly remembering their bonhomie during his first term and hoping it would yield benefits. Instead, the India-US relationship has entered an uncertain phase. India, however, is not even among the ten largest trading partners of the US. The four largest are Canada, Mexico, China, and the European Union. All have had to face Trump’s tariff ire. And, with the exception of China, all have had to make a compromise, or are well on the road to one. These trade surplus economies (vis-à-vis America) depend on the US market much more than the US does on their markets.