John Bolton remarked that Trumpโs handling of India had undone years of bipartisan US efforts aimed at drawing New Delhi closer to Washington and positioning it against China. โThat progress has now been reversed. It can still be corrected, but at present, this is a troubling phase,โ he cautioned.
Former United Statesย National Security Adviser (NSA) John Bolton has claimed that the once-strong personal relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now faded. Speaking in an interview with British media, Bolton warned that while Trump often views international relations through the prism of personal rapport, such ties “wonโt protect” world leaders from deeper policy setbacks.
โTrump had a very good relationship personally with Modi. I think that’s gone now. Itโs a lesson to everybody, and a good personal relationship may help at times, but it won’t protect you from the worst,โ Bolton said, cautioning other leaders, including UK PM Keir Starmer.
Strained phase in India-US relations
Boltonโs remarks come at a time when India-US ties are reportedly experiencing one of their worst phases in two decades, strained by Trumpโs tariff policies and his administrationโs frequent criticism of New Delhi. In a social media post linked to his interview, Bolton accused the Trump White House of โsetting US-India relations back decadesโ by pushing Modi closer to Russia and China, while Beijing portrays itself as a viable alternative to American leadership.
Concerns over strategic shifts
Bolton argued that Trumpโs treatment of India undermined years of bipartisan US efforts to align New Delhi more closely with Washington against China. โThat has been reversed. I think it can be reversed again, but itโs a very bad moment,โ he observed.
He further said that tariffs imposed on India over its import of Russian oil amounted to an โunforced errorโ, driving New Delhi closer to the Beijing-Moscow axis.
Boltonโs criticism of Trump and the ongoing probe
A sharp critic of Trump since leaving the administration, Bolton has frequently raised alarms about the former presidentโs approach to foreign relations. His latest remarks coincide with Trumpโs scheduled UK visit from September 17 to 19.
Bolton himself is under scrutiny, as his Maryland home and Washington office were recently searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with a probe into alleged mishandling of classified documents.