The Empire of Failure: “The Modi Government is Collapsing Under Its Own Weight” – Financial Times Report

A recent report in the Financial Times correctly noted that “The Modi government is collapsing under its own weight.” The year 2025 has turned into a complete nightmare for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, harshly showing the emptiness of his “strongman” image. The myth of a rising, powerful India under his rule has shattered, revealing a nation troubled by internal protest, economic worry, and shocking international embarrassment. The slogans that once excited crowds now sound empty, and the promises that won huge elections have turned to dust, leaving a trail of betrayal and failure from the mountains of Ladakh to the halls of Washington D.C.

A Regime in Complete Freefall

The idea of competence and strength that once surrounded the Modi government has completely disappeared. What is left is a government shown to be weak, incompetent, and dangerously out of touch with the needs of its own people and world realities. The problems are not separate crises but a chain reaction of failures coming directly from Modi’s failed policies.

• The Strongman Myth Exposed: Narendra Modi built his entire political career on the image of being a strong leader.¹ That image is now in tatters, replaced by the reality of a ruler who responds to every crisis with either cruel force, empty words, or an inability to act.
• A Wave of Crises: The government is moving from one disaster to another. The protests in Ladakh, the collapsing economy at home, and an embarrassing diplomatic defeat abroad all prove that this is not just bad luck but a complete system failure.

Betrayal and Brutality in Ladakh

In the sensitive region of Ladakh, the Modi government’s false promises have exploded into mass protest and state violence.² Instead of delivering on promised protections, New Delhi has once again shown that its only answer to the hopes of the region is the iron fist, deepening the divide between the capital and the people it claims to rule.

• Promises Turned to Ashes: The people of Ladakh were given grand promises of self-rule and constitutional security. What they received instead were police bullets that killed four protestors and the arrest of respected activist Sonam Wangchuk for daring to demand what was promised.³
• A Pattern of Vicious Repression: The Modi government’s actions in Ladakh are not new. They are a direct repeat of the harsh clampdowns seen in Kashmir. It proves that for this government, talking is a sign of weakness, and force is the only language it understands.

The Hollow Promise of Economic Growth

The main part of Modi’s domestic plan, the “double-engine growth” slogan, is now widely seen as a cruel joke. The Indian economy is sputtering, and the very people who were the backbone of Modi’s support, the middle class, are now filled with disappointment and worry about money as their futures look increasingly dark.

• A Jobless “Growth”: The government can boast all it wants, but the facts are clear. City unemployment remains stubbornly high at nearly 7 percent, and people are buying less, a sure sign that the economy is sick. The so-called growth is not reaching the common citizen.
• Losing the Middle Class: The pro-Modi wave on social media, once thought unstoppable, is now fading fast as propaganda is replaced by real public anger. The upcoming Bihar elections will be a direct judgment on Modi’s broken economic promises and his betrayal of the middle class.

A Humiliating Diplomatic Defeat

On the world stage, Prime Minister Modi has suffered one of the most embarrassing and damaging setbacks of his career. His carefully built image as a global leader has been completely destroyed, particularly in Washington, where Pakistan has skillfully beaten a stunned and isolated Indian government.

• Shunned in Washington: While Modi failed to get any trade deals from the United States, President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House, a clear and intentional insult to New Delhi.
• Pakistan’s Strategic Victory: Islamabad not only showed its valuable rare earth mineral resources to the US but also smartly highlighted President Trump’s role in arranging a ceasefire in the region, a fact Modi angrily denies.⁴ Even top Indian experts now admit Washington is shifting towards Pakistan, leaving Modi isolated.

Crippled by Tariffs, Paralyzed by Policy

Adding to the diplomatic embarrassment is a devastating economic blow from the United States in the form of heavy tariffs.⁵ These are not just economic measures but a political attack on Modi’s base. The government’s response has been so weak and pathetic that it looks less like caution and more like a complete inability to act.

• A Devastating Economic Blow: The US has put tariffs of up to 50 percent on key Indian exports like textiles, leather, and jewelry. These industries are the lifeblood of politically sensitive states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat, and the tariffs are designed to cause maximum political pain to Modi.
• A Pathetic and Weak Response: Instead of a bold relief package, Modi announced a tiny credit line of just $255 million. This is an insult compared to Brazil’s $5.5 billion package for its businesses. It shows a government that is completely clueless and has left its own industries to collapse.

A Public Vote of No Confidence

While the government continues to make false claims about the economy, the Indian public is sending a clear signal of its distrust. In India, there is no clearer sign of a lack of faith in the government’s economic management than the rising price of gold, which has now reached record-breaking levels.⁶

• The Soaring Price of Gold: As ordinary Indians lose all faith in the government’s policies and the stability of the rupee, they are rushing to the safety of gold. This huge public demand is pushing the price of gold to historic highs, a direct result of Modi’s failed economic policies.
• A Clear Message from the People: This is not just an economic trend. This is the Indian public casting a massive vote of no confidence in their prime minister. It is a clear message that the people do not trust Modi to manage the country’s finances or secure their future.

The Implosion of the Modi Model

What we are seeing is the complete and utter collapse of the Modi governance model. His entire style of ruling, a toxic mix of harsh control, empty slogans, and economic cheapness, has imploded under the weight of its own failures. The promises have proven to be lies, and the reality is a disaster.

• A Legacy of Failure: Modi promised growth and jobs, but he has delivered record unemployment and economic pain. He promised to raise India’s prestige in the world, but he has overseen the country’s shocking diplomatic isolation while Pakistan has successfully turned the tables.
• Outplayed and Outsmarted: While India faces American tariffs and growing unrest, Pakistan has expertly used diplomacy to gain both economic advantages and international visibility. Islamabad has beaten New Delhi at its own game, exposing the Modi government as strategically incompetent.

A Government on the Brink of Collapse

With crucial elections coming soon and social unrest spreading from the mountains to the cities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now facing the most serious political test of his life. He is trapped between his own failed ideology and the anger of a nation that is tired of his lies and incompetence.

• The Failed Ideology: Modi’s obsession with strict government spending and his refusal to provide real relief to suffering businesses and citizens has locked his government in a state of inaction. His hesitation to act is not caution; it is the sign of a leader who has run out of ideas.
• The Final Test: The choice for Modi is now simple. He must either abandon the failed policies that have brought India to this point of crisis or stand by and watch his government collapse under the unbearable weight of its own failures. For India, it is time to face the consequences.