Interests Forever, Not Friendship

In politics, as in international relations, there are no permanent friends—only permanent interests. US President Donald Trump, however, seems to operate on the principle of “use-and-throw-away” friends, forgetting that statecraft is not a game of musical chairs. Nations forge relationships not on the whims of individual leaders but on shared interests, long-term goals, and global responsibilities. India and the United States have a great deal in common: vibrant democracies, a free press, a large population, and unmatched pools of scientists and technologists. These complementarities should have been the solid bedrock of bilateral ties. Instead, the relationship is often hijacked by transactional rhetoric, such as Trump’s claim that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “always be friends.” Friendship may smoothen atmospherics, but history shows that it has little to do with the durability of ties. Nehru and Kennedy got along famously, yet Nixon and Indira Gandhi’s frosty equation did not derail relations in any fundamental way.

Today, India is no longer the food-aid-dependent country of the PL-480 days. With the world’s largest population and a rapidly expanding economy, India has the potential to emerge as the largest economy in a few decades—provided its advantages are not squandered. This confidence explains why the Indian political spectrum, not just Modi or his party, remains firm in facing Trump’s punitive tariffs. The 50 per cent punitive tariff on Indian exports was both provocative and protectionist. Yet India has held its ground, knowing that in the long run such tariffs will hurt the US economy as much as, if not more than, India’s. Against this backdrop, the exchange of pleasantries—Trump calling Modi a “great friend” and Modi “deeply reciprocating” sentiments—rings hollow. Only a day earlier, Trump lamented India’s Russian oil purchases and accused Washington of having “lost India to China” before hastily walking back the remark. Such contradictions underline why “friendship politics” is a poor substitute for consistent, interest-based diplomacy.

Modi’s bonhomie with Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit—marked by handshakes, hugs, and smiles—was not lost on global observers. It was a reminder that India, while deeply invested in its partnership with Washington, will not be bullied into compromising its strategic autonomy. Ultimately, India-US ties are too important to be dictated by personal rapport or transient irritants. Trade frictions, tariffs, and disagreements over oil imports will come and go. What will endure is the recognition that the two countries, with their shared democratic values and converging strategic interests, stand to gain far more from cooperation than confrontation. That is the real foundation of this “very special relationship”—not sentimental proclamations of eternal friendship.