‘The American dream seems to be crashing down. Human rights have become a joke, and elections are choosing monsters.’ This was the opinion of an American youth who voted for Donald Trump for the first time and had expected the system’s efficient functioning that earlier on seemed paralytic during the Biden regime. What he watches now is beyond his comprehension.

Trump’s comeback marks a radical shift to an isolationist, populist foreign policy.

‘Our White House has become an interrogation center which used to be the focal point for global diplomacy’. He stated. His voice resonates with almost half of the population, which thinks the White House has moved from diplomacy to trade organization since Donald Trump took office.

Recently, many heads of government have visited the White House, the latest being the Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi. How the policies are imposed upon them has created fear among friendly or enemy countries. They no longer seem to be treated as equals or as representatives of their countries, at least not even for a façade. Instead, they have had to face a stern taskmaster in Trump, compelled to listen and comply with his demands, mostly placing the wealthiest democracy in the dock.

To illustrate, consider the visits of leaders like the Japanese Prime Minister, who was made to pledge trillions to spend in America, and the Israeli Prime Minister, who was shocked to know about the US takeover of Gaza. However, he had already destroyed and turned it into a rubble. Jordan’s King Abdullah’s twitching eye expressed his discomfort about the Middle East restructuring plan. Then, there was the most hyped visit of the Modi of India. His visit was significant, given Trump’s status as his close friend and their shared right-wing ideologies. Wealthy tycoons surround both, and they are seen to be the policymakers of these countries.

The first notable moment came when, per protocol, Trump did not greet Modi at the White House entrance, starkly contrasting the receptions given to other leaders. This moment received considerable attention and commentary. Later, footage of hugging, kissing, and tapping was released. and media was informed of a closed-door meeting between two leaders.

The press conference was more than expected in the new setup. Many observers noted the tense expressions on both leaders’ faces, contrasting with Modi’s earlier support for Trump among the Indian diaspora. Modi appeared stiff, and the chemistry felt different, with the dialogue more candid. A few sycophancy questions of Indian journalists to Trump hardly changed his stance.  The press conference was fun to watch.

Modi’s stiff reception at the White House underscores a new, coercive diplomatic dynamic.

Although Modi engaged in friendly discussions with tech giants and Trump’s close associates before meeting the boss, he played an incredible role in reciprocal tariffs, with Trump having previously labeled him the “king of tariffs.”

However, Modi’s stiffness didn’t ease up. In the context of cross-border terrorism, which has become a stumbling block between India and Pakistan, Modi inevitably addressed the issue of cross-border terrorism. The extradition of Pak-origin Canadian citizen, Tahawwur Rana, alleged to be involved in the Mumbai attacks, emboldened Modi to speak more loudly against border terrorism without mentioning Pakistan. Yet, this prompted a strong response from the Pakistani Foreign Office, which dismissed Modi’s statements as baseless and one-sided, lacking proof.

Pakistan had anticipated more substantial discussions regarding Kashmir and Imran Khan’s incarceration during the Trump-Modi conference, but these topics did not arise in the press conference or subsequent briefings. Some analysts believe that Modi’s emphasis on cross-border terrorism aimed to secure Trump’s assurance of support in case India decided to take action along the Line of Control (LoC) but politicians did not buy this thought.

A few reports suggest a possible confrontation at the LoC, with military assets reportedly being transported to the Line of Control in recent months. ‘While the ceasefire at the LoC remains intact, Adani’s establishment of industrial projects near the border has not indicated imminent conflict’, as per defense analyst Ravinder Acharya. Yet, Indian leaders have increasingly spoken about Pakistan’s medalling in JK and the increase in militant activities in border areas of Jammu.’

Pakistan has been silent on Kashmir since it has been mired in internal political turmoil. Only recently, the Army Chief’s visit to LOC areas and then the release of a statement of continuing support for Kashmir raised eyebrows in India. A few in Kashmir reacted by saying that ‘Pakistan has again raised the bogey of Kashmir, but there seem very few takers of it’.

Tensions over Kashmir and tariffs indicate a departure from traditional alliances.

According to Acharya, ‘Apart from a few soft statements, Pakistan usually does not pay much attention to Indian remarks, likely due to backdoor diplomacy between the two nations, including the meetings between the spy heads a few years back. Diplomatic talks have continued despite tensions within. As long as the Sharif family and the military establishment in Pakistan remain aligned, India is not viewed as an enemy. Indirect trade, media and cultural exchanges have continued without significant interference from the Pakistani establishment.’

The view from Pakistan is somewhat different. ‘Given the challenges facing Pakistan, mainly its volatile borders with Afghanistan and Iran, the country cannot afford to engage in conflicts on multiple fronts.  So, the border with India must remain calm, but India seems to be taking advantage of Pakistan’s vulnerabilities by redirecting attention away from his side of Kashmir.’ The view was expressed by a Pakistani defense analyst who desired to remain anonymous.

In Modi’s earlier meeting with Trump in 2019, it was learned that he convinced Trump to remain silent regarding the abrogation of Article 370, which drew little international condemnation.

US actions now resemble coercion rather than cooperative diplomacy.

There was no mention of Indian-administered Kashmir in the joint press conference, indicating that the abrogation has since been accepted as a settled issue. For India, the only remaining question is how to integrate the parts of Kashmir under Pakistan into India. Modi has succeeded in legitimizing the scrapping of Article 370 and building a new narrative of integrating Pakistan-administered Kashmir with the Valley.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.