India, Aug. 19 -- India once had a love affair with Donald Trump.

Long before the rest of the world figured him out, Indians were cheering his every move. He was, at one point, more popular in India than in much of the US. His bluster, bravado, and disregard for political correctness struck a deep chord. In a country weighed down by colonial bureaucracy, obsolete laws, and a culture of red tape, Trump's instinct to bulldoze through institutions appeared not just refreshing but necessary.

He wasn't seen as just another politician - he was embraced as a wrecking ball aimed at a system that had long ceased to serve its purpose. India, hungry for its own disruptors, welcomed him as a kindred spirit. The stadium rallies, choreographed slogan...