Though hailed by the United States and Europe as a linchpin of their Indo-Pacific strategy, India has seen its rapport with Western capitals steadily unravel. Ideological chasms form one core source of strain: European actors have repeatedly rebuked India over minority protections and religious liberty, casting doubt on its democratic fabric amid the ascendancy of Hindutva politics.

India’s resolute neutrality throughout the Russia-Ukraine rift further rankles Western governments. It has abstained from critical UN resolutions, spurned calls to adopt Western sanctions, and sustained imports of discounted Russian crude.

The Nijjar homicide controversy ignited an acrimonious diplomatic rupture with Canada, plunging bilateral ties to historic lows. These cascading controversies have coalesced into a pervasive trust deficit. Upholding its doctrine of strategic autonomy, India resists Western bloc pressure, and this deepening estrangement carries profound ramifications for global geopolitics.