Analyzing Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s Critique of Narendra Modi’s Foreign Policy Amid Trump’s Return

New Delhi, March 6, 2025 – In a sharp post on X, veteran politician and economist Dr. Subramanian Swamy has reignited debates over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy, particularly in the context of U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Replying to a post by senior journalist Suhasini Haidar, Dr. Swamy argued, “Modi has no contingency plans. But this much is clear: Trump is allowed to treat Modi as a Butler. China treats Modi as a person who can be pushed around. India’s land is for China to occupy at will. Russia can bribe Modi through Adani, and can sell anything to us.”

Dr. Swamy’s remarks refer to a column by former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, published in The Indian Express on the same day. Saran warned that under Trump’s administration, India risks becoming a “convenient pawn” for the U.S. in its geopolitical rivalry with China, with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)—comprising India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia—potentially reduced to a “bargaining tool” against Beijing. Dr. Swamy’s post amplifies this concern, framing Modi’s leadership as strategically deficient and overly accommodating to global powers. 

Dr. Swamy’s critique comes at a pivotal moment in India-U.S. relations. In February 2025, Modi visited Washington, D.C., for bilateral talks with Trump, focusing on a proposed trade agreement. However, the meeting avoided addressing U.S. bribery charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his associates, linked to a $250 million scheme involving solar power contracts with the Indian government. These charges, filed by U.S. prosecutors in November 2024, have raised questions about Modi’s ties to Adani and potential vulnerabilities in India’s foreign policy, as alluded to in Swamy’s reference to Russia “bribing Modi through Adani.”

Saran’s column, which Dr. Swamy builds upon, underscores Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy, rooted in a 19th-century imperial mindset. Saran cautions India to maintain a delicate balance—being “accommodating on lesser issues” while resisting on critical ones—to avoid entanglement in U.S.-China tensions. Dr. Swamy, however, takes a more unambiguous view, accusing Modi of lacking strategic foresight and allowing India to be “pushed around” by China, which has occupied Indian territory in disputed regions like Ladakh since 2020, and by Russia, amid allegations of corruption involving Adani.

Strategic Implications

Under Trump’s first term (2017–2021), Modi and Trump forged a “comprehensive global strategic partnership,” sharing positions on counterterrorism and the Indo-Pacific. Yet, Saran’s recent analysis suggests this partnership may now serve U.S. interests more than India’s, with the Quad risking demotion to a tactical tool against China. Dr. Swamy’s post suggests Modi is ill-equipped to navigate this shift, potentially exposing India to exploitation by Trump, China, and Russia.

Looking Ahead

As Trump’s “America First” policies reshape global dynamics, India faces a delicate diplomatic tightrope. Dr. Swamy’s post taps into broader anxieties about Modi’s ability to safeguard India’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

The ongoing Adani controversy, coupled with border tensions with China and Russia’s influence, underscores the challenges ahead. Whether Modi can recalibrate India’s foreign policy to avoid becoming a “pawn” in global power games remains a pressing question, one that Dr. Swamy’s post brings to the forefront of public discourse.