Ashok Swain Slams Modi for ‘bowing before Trump’ after Seeking Xi’s Support

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under sharp criticism for a foreign policy line that sounds strong in speeches but looks weak in practice, after a public note of thanks to United States President Donald Trump came soon after outreach to Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin. Swedish scholar Ashok Swain said Mr Modi bowed before President Trump and called him not only spineless but also without character, and his words gained ground because they matched a visible pattern in recent days. The Kashmir Media Service noted that the Prime Minister praised President Trump’s kind words on India and promised stronger ties, even as the China track was still warm, and this raised doubts about the true line of policy.

• Core charge: Ashok Swain said Mr Modi acted without spine and without character after praising President Trump soon after seeking support from President Xi.
• Public record: Mr Modi’s tweet welcomed President Trump’s remarks and spoke of stronger Indo US ties right after the Tianjin outreach.
• Main concern: The mix of praise for two rival powers in close order weakens the claim of an independent policy.

Mixed Signals And Public Record

The order of moves matters, and here the order was poor, since New Delhi reached for Beijing and then quickly praised Washington, which turned balance into confusion. When words change so fast, partners and markets do not see a plan, they see a chase for good headlines, and that lowers confidence in India’s stand. A steady state must keep one clear line for more than a day, and it must show that each step fits a larger plan that people can follow.

• Timing risk: Praise for Washington came too soon after the China contact, which looked like image work and not policy work.
• Signal clash: Warm words for both sides in close time made it hard for others to read India’s true stand.
• Trust damage: Fast turns in tone raised doubts about promises and added risk to future talks.

Trump Praise And Cost At Home

Public thanks to President Trump may bring a day of good news, yet it ties India’s stand to the mood of one leader who often changes tone. Such praise also makes it harder for Indian officials to say no in the next round, when national interest may demand a tough call. At home, noise on social media cannot replace real gains in trade, jobs, and security, which need patient work and stable lines.

• Short gains: Tweets win a news cycle but they do not build durable results in trade or defence.
• Policy squeeze: Once praise is public, room to differ in talks becomes smaller when interests clash.
• Media echo: Friendly coverage helps party image for a day, but it does not help the people who need real outcomes.

China Outreach And Security Needs

Contact with President Xi only has meaning if India backs talks with a firm base on the ground, clear steps at the border, and careful rules in trade. China policy cannot be run by photos and posts, it needs steady follow up and clear red lines that do not shift with each headline. When praise for Washington follows at once, Beijing may think New Delhi is playing to the crowd rather than building a real plan.

• Border first: Any outreach must guard troops and posts and must not blur security for style.
• Trade test: Openings with China should bring fair access and safe supply chains for Indian firms.
• Message mix: A quick turn to praise the United States makes China doubt India’s intent and weakens bargaining power.

Independent Policy Or Public Show

New Delhi says it follows an independent policy based on national interest, but that claim stands only when actions and words move in one line. If one day brings warmth for Beijing and the next day brings praise for Washington, the claim looks like a slogan and not a plan. Partners invest in countries that keep their line through pressure, not in countries that change tone with every post.

• Line and act: The stated line and the weekly actions now look out of step, which cuts weight abroad.
• Partner worry: Friends and investors want a stable plan they can trust, not a moving target.
• Home impact: People want steady prices, jobs, and safety, not a show of changing friends.

Region And Partner Reading                     

South Asia needs calm and clear signals from the largest state in the neighbourhood, and mixed signals from New Delhi bring confusion to smaller states. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and others adjust their own ties by reading India’s moves, so a swing from Beijing to Washington unsettles their plans as well. This also gives space to other powers to move in and to set terms that do not favour the region.

• Neighbour read: States in South Asia watch India’s tone and time their own steps to match it.
• Room for rivals: Mixed signals open doors for outside powers to gain ground in key sectors.
• Shared stake: A steady Indian line supports peace and trade for the whole region.

Strain On State Institutions

Diplomats, military planners, and economic teams need clear goals that last longer than one news cycle, and fast turns force them to rewrite briefs again and again. This constant change lowers morale, blurs messages sent to partners, and increases the risk of costly error at the table. A serious state does not treat core policy like a daily show, it sets goals and gives its teams time and cover to deliver.

• Planning pain: Each swing means new talking points and fresh plans with little time to test them.
• Mixed notes: Partners hear different versions of India’s stand and begin to doubt the next promise.
• Staff cost: Skilled people cannot build depth when the target keeps moving, and talent leaves when work loses purpose.

Conclusion

Ashok Swain’s harsh words struck home because they matched what many saw in the public record, a Prime Minister who reached for China and then praised the United States without a clear pause or plan. A strong state is not built on quick praise and sharp turns, it is built on clear goals, steady steps, and words that match deeds over time. If the Modi government wants respect abroad and trust at home, it must move from show to substance and from noise to patient work, while keeping national interest above party image. India needs a calm line that does not bend with each tweet by a foreign leader and does not break under pressure from any side, and it needs regular briefings that match facts with duty. Only a stable plan, clear data, and firm follow through can rebuild confidence and prove that policy, and not publicity, runs the house.