PM Modi and Donald Trump’s Relations Hit After Nobel Prize Snub

New Delhi/Washington: Ties between former US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi once described as close friends have gotten bitter in what appears to be a disagreement over mediation claims against Pakistan, tariffs and Trump’s incessant quest for a Nobel Peace Prize. According to a detailed report by The New York Times (NYT), PM Modi’s refusal to support Trump’s Nobel nomination and his pushback on America’s claimed role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire may have played a decisive role in straining ties between New Delhi and Washington.

The relationship was at its lowest point it seems during a 35-minute phone call made on June 17 while PM Modi was in Canada attending the G7 Summit. Trump reportedly informed Modi during the call that Pakistan was getting ready to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is a prize for which the former US President has actively campaigned and frequently mentioned in his speeches.

As per individuals close to the call, Trump suggested that Modi also back his nomination. The Indian Prime Minister, however, “horripilate” at the suggestion, strongly making it clear that the India-Pakistan ceasefire had been negotiated bilaterally and that “America had nothing to do with it.

The NYT report stated that this exchange, combined with Modi’s refusal to engage on the Nobel Prize matter, contributed “an outsize role in the souring relationship” between the two leaders.

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From “True Friends” to Silence

PM Modi and Donald Trump used to exude a strong friendship on the world stage. The Indian prime minister had termed Trump as a true friend of India and Trump often addressed Modi as a “very good friend.”

Both leaders demonstrated their friendship in mega public rallies the Howdy Modi rally in Houston, Texas in 2019, and the Namaste Trump rally in Ahmedabad in 2020 where they spoke to huge crowds together.

But since the June 17th telephone conversation, the two leaders have allegedly not spoken. What started as spats over claims of Pakistan mediation and the Nobel Prize matter soon spilled over into trade feuds and retaliatory tariffs.

Trump’s own ambition for global praise, specifically the Nobel Peace Prize, has been an open secret. The White House even released formal statements calling for the award in his name, invoking allegations that he “ended six wars in six months” since the start of his second presidential term.

Trump himself continuously tweeted on the topic, bemoaning that he would not get a Nobel even as he claimed to “stop wars” around the world.

In connection with South Asia, Trump openly took credit for preventing the India-Pakistan border tension in May, boasting that he had personally brokered peace. India has rejected these claims all along, asserting that the ceasefire was negotiated directly via current military channels between Islamabad and New Delhi.

India’s Firm Stand on Pakistan Mediation

India has long been against any third-party intervention in its conflicts with Pakistan and in particularly on the crucial matter of Kashmir. In the June 17 telecall, PM Modi is said to have reaffirmed India’s stance, informing Trump that “India does not and will never accept mediation on the Pakistan issue.”

India’s then Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that the ceasefire initiative came from Pakistan and was resolved directly between the two militaries. PM Modi’s sharp rejection of Trump’s mediation claims highlighted the “third rail of Indian politics” and this is a phrase used in the NYT article to underline how sensitive the subject is domestically.

Trade Tensions Escalated between India And USA

Only days after PM Modi had rejected Trump’s assertions in Parliament without identifying him, Trump had imposed 25% tariffs on Indian products. Further tariffs were imposed a few days later, targeting India’s Russian energy imports.

The NYT said these sanctions were less a matter of US economic policy and more an attempt to punish India for refusing to comply with Trump’s demands. Analysts in the story suggested that the singular targeting of India implied the tariffs were political and not part of an anti-Russia campaign.

Richard Rossow, a Center for Strategic and International Studies India specialist, was quoted as saying:
If this was really about squeezing Russia, Trump could have supported secondary sanctions on every nation importing Russian hydrocarbons. The fact that India alone was targeted proves this was about something more than Russia.”

Yet another major consequence of the strained relationship was Trump cancelling his scheduled visit to India for the Quad Summit this year. According to the NYT report “The Nobel Prize and a Testy Phone Call: How the Trump-PM Modi Relationship Unraveled” said Trump had originally informed Modi that he would be coming to the Quad leaders’ meeting in New Delhi but has now dropped those plans.

The move, if approved would be a setback to India’s attempts to forge a stronger Quad grouping. India, US, Japan and Australia is against increasing threats in the Indo-Pacific.

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The fall of the PM Modi-Trump alliance is observed as illustrating how personal diplomacy can easily fall apart when egos collide. From behemoth public rallies to mutedness over pivotal phone calls, the arc of the India-US relationship in Trump’s second term indicates both the promise and risk of leader-centric foreign policy.

The NYT emphasized that Trump had claimed over 40 times in public speeches since May that he “ended the India-Pakistan war.” PM Modi’s refusal to validate those claims combined with his dismissal of Trump’s Nobel ambitions, appears to have created a diplomatic rupture.

In NYT report on June 17 Phone Call: Trump called on PM Modi to endorse him for a Nobel Peace Prize on the basis of alleged Pakistani support. PM Modi turned down the proposal and rebuffed US attempts at brokering the ceasefire.

In July’s Parliament Statement, PM Modi informed the Indian Parliament that “no world leader requested India to halt Operation Sindoor,” contradicting directly Trump’s narrative of mediation.

Tariffs & Trade War Between India and USA:

Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Indian exports and further penalties on Russian oil buys as retaliation.

Quad Visit Cancelled: Trump cancelled plans to visit the Quad Summit in New Delhi this spring, a sign of diplomatic distancing.

From Friends to Foes: Where they once toasted their friendship, Modi and Trump have not spoken since the call with relations at a post-2017 low.

What Is The Road Ahead for India And US Relations

Though Trump’s statements and policies have caused turbulence, analysts believe that the India-US connection goes beyond individual equations between the leaders. Strategic, defense and economic connections are still robust with bipartisan support in Washington for greater cooperation with India.

However, the episode underscores the challenges of dealing with unpredictable leadership styles. India has historically maintained a non-aligned yet pragmatic foreign policy, balancing relations with both the US and Russia. Trump’s transactional approach demanding recognition, loyalty and concessions that clashed with Modi’s firm stance on sovereignty and national interest.

If tense relations continue, the next Quad Summit can be a platform on which India and the US test how they balance disagreements with cooperation on common priorities like Indo-Pacific security, counter terrorism and tech partnerships.

The collapse of the Modi-Trump friendship, as documented by The New York Times, illustrates how individual agendas like Trump’s quest for the Nobel Peace Prize can shape international diplomacy. It started with a spat over Pakistan intermediation and Nobel endorsements before escalating into tariffs, aborted visits and a palpable diplomatic chill.

While both leaders once flaunted their friendship to world audiences, the silence since June 17 implies that political reality and national interests ultimately overrode personal friendship. Looking ahead for India and the US, the test will be to keep strategic cooperation strong despite personality-tugged tensions at the top.

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Source | News18 & India Today