Nepal, Sept. 2 -- Just months into President Donald Trump's second term in office, one of the United States' most important strategic partnerships is in crisis. Relations between the US and India are at their lowest ebb in a quarter of a century. Things are so bad that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly refused to accept calls from Trump for more than two months. In recent days, Trump labelled trade ties with India a "totally one-sided disaster" and a report emerged that he is no longer planning to visit India later this year for a summit of the Quad partners (India, the US, Australia and Japan).

So bad, so quickly

Things were not meant to happen this way. Many in New Delhi were delighted when Trump won the election last...