Several Indians I spoke with in the past eulogised – or at least empathised with – Donald Trump’s impatience with liberal elites, progressive language, and global institutions that often appear remote from everyday concerns. They appreciated his rejection of political correctness, his scepticism of multilateralism, and his insistence that the USA should pursue its own interests without excessive explanation. His hard line on migration and his explicitly transactional view of alliances were regarded less as moral choices and more as practical ones – an acceptance of how power is said to operate in the real world. When it was suggested that this approach might also normalise exclusion or an unusual tolerance for concentrated wealth and power, the concern was dismissed as overinterpretation.
For some time, this difference of view remained largely theoretical. Trump’s decisions were distant, their effects abstract. It was possible to admire the style without having to account for the consequences. That separation has now narrowed. Following the imposition of steep tariffs on India, alongside a visible warming of relations with Pakistan, earlier certainties have given way to a quieter reassessment. The reaction is not anger so much as puzzlement.
Trump’s distancing from India is attributed, among other things, to our continued purchase of oil from Russia. His renewed engagement with Pakistan appears to rest on considerations that are personal or transactional. This follows years of sustained effort by India to persuade the international community that the Pakistani military establishment has been a principal sponsor of global terrorism. Evidently, some positions are more negotiable than others.
The prevailing mood is one of muted disappointment. There is a recognition -expressed carefully – that admiration does not always invite reciprocity. Yet the broader orientation remains unchanged. Russia may be described as a dependable partner, but it is the United States that continues to be regarded as the more consequential relationship.
Accordingly, Trump’s current posture is being understood as temporary. A phase. An interruption. It is assumed that matters will, in time, correct themselves. Until then, patience is advised.
Tum kisi aur ko chahoge toh,
hum intezaar karenge.
Mushkil hogi toh hone doh.
An ordinary life 
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