Trump-Modi friendship was strong, but now US-India ties are strained. What caused the severe turbulence?

Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode, Ravi speaks with Prof. Sumit Ganguly, Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and Director of the Huntington Program on improving US-India relations. 

They discuss the severe turbulence in bilateral ties including the massive tariffs the Trump administration placed on India, India’s refusal to give Trump credit for intervening to stop the India-Pakistan conflict in May, 2025, and the removal of ‘Indo’ from the USIndoPacific Command, now reverted to its old name US Pacific Command – which Indians have taken as a deliberate slight from Washington. 

They also examine the question: Is India playing a waiting game to see Trump off, and can the US really do without Indian backing if it is to maintain influence in the Indian Ocean.

Highlights (click/tap above)

1:04 Why USIndoPacom was changed to USPacom

3:46 ‘Body blows’ to US-India bilateral relationship

7:20 Trump-Modi personal chemistry is gone

8:47 Present situation is an “aberration”

10:48 The Pakistan factor

14:18 End of India’s muscular foreign policy

17:16 Opportunity for China to improve India ties

Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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#STAsianInsider

Trump-Modi friendship was strong, but now US-India ties are strained. What caused the severe turbulence?
Synopsis: The Straits Times&rsquo; senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.
In this episode, Ravi speaks with Prof. Sumit Ganguly, Senior Fellow at Stanford University&rsquo;s Hoover Institution and Director of the Huntington Program on improving US-India relations.&nbsp;
They discuss the severe turbulence in bilateral ties including the massive tariffs the Trump administration placed on India, India&rsquo;s refusal to give Trump credit for intervening to stop the India-Pakistan conflict in May, 2025, and the removal of &lsquo;Indo&rsquo; from the USIndoPacific Command, now reverted to its old name US Pacific Command &ndash; which Indians have taken as a deliberate slight from Washington.&nbsp;
They also examine the question: Is India playing a waiting game to see Trump off, and can the US really do without Indian backing if it is to maintain influence in the Indian Ocean.
Highlights (click/tap above)
1:04 Why USIndoPacom was changed to USPacom
3:46 &lsquo;Body blows&rsquo; to US-India bilateral relationship
7:20 Trump-Modi personal chemistry is gone
8:47 Present situation is an &ldquo;aberration&rdquo;
10:48 The Pakistan factor
14:18 End of India&rsquo;s muscular foreign policy
17:16 Opportunity for China to improve India ties
Read Ravi's columns:<a href="https://str.sg/3xRP"> https://str.sg/3xRP</a>
Follow Ravi on X:<a href="https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor"> https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor</a>
Sign up for ST&rsquo;s weekly Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://str.sg/sfpz"> https://str.sg/sfpz</a>&nbsp;
Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg)
Produced and edited by: Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>&nbsp;
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>&nbsp;
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7"> https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube:<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa"> https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#STAsianInsider

Get our uniquely Asian perspective on global issues, with ST’s correspondents from around the world.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.

Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.