India, May 21 -- Operation Sindoor has inaugurated a new and uncomfortable chapter in the India-US relationship. That is because of Donald Trump's hubris. It is also because India's diplomatic assumptions about Trump didn't pan out, and its diplomatic management of Trump showed gaps. Let's rewind.

Despite the as yet unspecified damage to jets, India's armed forces have come out credibly for their ability to mount an offensive at terror sites inside Pakistan, hit Pakistan's air bases and mount a robust air defence. Despite the failure in Pahalgam, India's intelligence agencies have come out credibly due to their ability to offer exact intelligence about terror locations and other Pakistani sites during the standoff. India's political lead...