With Iran and trade rifts, India feels brushed aside by Donald Trump
Live MintUS President Donald Trump may count Prime Minister Narendra Modi among his international allies, but New Delhi is smarting over unexpected US decisions it sees as ignoring the interests of an increasingly close partner. An Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described New Delhi as "surprised and disappointed" by the decision on Iran, saying the Trump administration had sent a message in March that India's cuts in imports were sufficient to be granted a fresh waiver. Another rift could come up as India -- a Cold War partner of the Soviet Union turned major buyer of US defense equipment -- finalizes its purchase of Russia's advanced S-400 missile system. Tanvi Madan, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and director of its India Project, said that this week's sanctions decision for the United States "is about Iran, not about its approach to India."