India, Sept. 2 -- Through the US tariffs saga - an unexpected 25% in the first round, even as trade talks were on; a completely unfair 25% more in the second round - India has kept its cool. It has done this despite the tone and tenor of criticism from the US, from some of President Donald Trump's cabinet, deteriorating to a level not usually seen in diplomacy. Given that, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's first visit to China in seven years and the scenes of solidarity between him and the leaders of China and Russia that emerged from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit were meant to signal to the US and the world that India has options.

The reaction from leading lights of the MAGA ecosystem in the US has not disappointe...