This week, India’s story abroad unfolded in three sharp frames: a White House narrative on trade that New Delhi quietly disputes, an Indian-origin Republican leader stepping back from social media amid racial abuse, and Punjabi beats from Dhurandhar taking over an NBA arena. From power and politics to pop culture, the global Indian presence continues to assert itself on its own terms.
THE BIG STORY
Trump official’s new claim about India-US trade deal
New White House claims clash with India’s account of stalled talks.
Driving the news
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has claimed India lost a trade deal by hesitating and by Prime Minister Narendra Modi not personally calling President Donald Trump. Indian officials, however, maintain talks never reached a stage where a deal was ready to be “closed” by a phone call.
Why it matters
The remarks fit a pattern where Trump officials publicly shift blame to negotiating partners, even as timelines and terms remain contested. For India, the risk is reputational, not economic.
The big picture
India says talks were ongoing, not final
Trump aides frame delay as Indian hesitation
Similar claims have surfaced in past Trump trade disputes
New Delhi appears unwilling to negotiate via public pressure
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NRI WATCH
Vivek Ramaswamy quits social media amid racial abuse
Indian-origin GOP leader and Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says he has deleted social media apps from his phone after facing what he described as “shocking” racial slurs online, even as he insists he encountered no such hostility while campaigning in person.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Ramaswamy said online discourse is increasingly distorted by bots and foreign actors, and warned politicians against mistaking manufactured outrage for real public sentiment.
Read article.
OFFBEAT
What playing Dhurandhar at an NBA game says about its global pull
Halftime shows are meant to be forgettable. But at San Francisco’s Chase Centre this week, the title track of Dhurandhar turned an NBA break into a viral moment, with American fans instinctively moving to Punjabi beats they neither translated nor contextualised.
The clip raced across social media, striking a contrast with the film’s reception back home, where Dhurandhar has been fiercely debated as nationalist cinema. In the arena, none of that mattered. There were no subtitles, no culture wars, just rhythm and response.
The moment underlined a familiar irony. While Dhurandhar is dissected in India for ideology and intent, its music travels freely abroad, untethered from politics. In an NBA setting built for spectacle and emotion, the song landed cleanly, proving that cultural confidence often resonates faster than commentary.
Read article.
IN THE NEWS
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NRI SPOTLIGHT
LEMON CHILLI
News that hits like a meme, but sticks like a fact. For more, visit LEMONCHILLI.NEWS
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Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author's own.
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