Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE in /home/civilser/public_html/wp-content/plugins/quick-adsense-reloaded/includes/conditions.php on line 562
The Birth of “Trumpasur”
The term “Trumpasur” is a striking portmanteau that emerged from the intersection of Indian religious tradition and geopolitical commentary. It fuses the name of former U.S. President Donald Trump with the Sanskrit word Asur (demon), and its most vivid manifestation occurred during the annual Durga Puja festival in West Bengal. In 2025, a pandal in Murshidabad depicted an idol of the Asura—the demon traditionally slain by Goddess Durga—modeled after Donald Trump. This act was not merely a piece of political satire but a profound cultural and political critique, symbolizing a growing sentiment in India that Donald Trump’s policies were detrimental to Indian interests. The depiction cast him in the role of a mythological antagonist, an obstacle to the nation’s progress and stability.
The thesis of this analysis is that the “Trumpasur” metaphor serves as a powerful lens through which to understand the deep frustration felt in India regarding the transactional and often punitive nature of the Trump administration’s foreign policy. This policy, driven by an “America First” ideology, frequently undermined the rhetoric of a strong U.S.-India strategic partnership, leading to the perception of a diplomatic demon that needed to be overcome.
The Mythology of the “Asur” in the Indian Context
In Hindu mythology, the Asur is a class of beings defined by their insatiable ego, hunger for power, and disruptive nature. Figures like Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, represent chaos, imbalance, and a fundamental challenge to the cosmic order, or Dharma. The slaying of the Asur by the Goddess Durga is a central theme in the narrative of good triumphing over evil, order over chaos.
In the modern Indian political landscape, the Asur metaphor is frequently employed to critique figures perceived as destructive, self-serving, or anti-national. By labeling the former U.S. President as “Trumpasur,” the creators of the pandal were engaging in a sophisticated form of political commentary. They were not just criticizing a leader; they were framing his actions as a force of chaos and disruption that threatened India’s economic and geopolitical Dharma. The metaphor suggests that the policies emanating from Washington were not simply disagreements between allies but acts of antagonism that required a forceful, perhaps even divine, counter-response.
The “Anti-India” Policies: The Pillars of the Demon
The perception of Trump as an Asur was grounded in specific policy decisions that directly impacted India’s economy, security, and diaspora. These policies, driven by a strict bilateralist and protectionist worldview, were seen as the “pillars” supporting the demon’s destructive power.
A. Trade and Tariffs: The Economic Blow
The most significant source of friction was the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on trade. This culminated in two major economic blows:
1.Withdrawal of GSP Status: In 2019, the U.S. terminated India’s designation as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. This move removed the duty-free access for billions of dollars worth of Indian exports to the U.S., directly impacting Indian businesses and farmers.
2.Punitive Tariffs: The administration imposed and then dramatically increased tariffs on Indian imports. Initially, tariffs were raised to 25 percent, and later, they were doubled to a staggering 50 percent . This action was widely viewed in India as a direct economic attack, contradicting the spirit of a strategic partnership.
| Policy Action | Indian Perception | Impact on India |
| GSP Withdrawal | Unilateral, punitive action | Loss of duty-free access for key exports, hurting small and medium enterprises. |
| 50% Tariffs | Economic aggression, “America First” over partnership | Severe effects on India’s economy and trade balance [13]. |
B. Regional Security and Pakistan: The Geopolitical Disruption
The Trump administration’s approach to South Asian security was characterized by unpredictability and a perceived tilt toward Pakistan, which alarmed the Indian establishment.
•Undermining India’s Position: Donald Trump’s repeated, and often factually incorrect, interventions in the India-Pakistan dynamic were seen as a major diplomatic overreach. His claim of having averted a war between the two nations by threatening both with 250% tariffs was met with skepticism and annoyance in New Delhi.
•Perceived Pakistan Tilt: There was a persistent concern that Trump would “upgrade ties with Pakistan at India’s expense,” a prospect that fueled anti-American sentiment among strategic thinkers in India. This fear was exacerbated by the administration’s transactional approach to the region, which seemed to prioritize short-term goals over India’s long-term security interests.
C. Immigration and H-1B Visas: The Human Cost
While less directly confrontational than the trade war, the tightening of U.S. immigration policies, particularly concerning the H-1B visa program, was a major source of distress for the Indian diaspora and the Indian IT sector. Restrictions and increased scrutiny on the visa program directly impacted the ability of skilled Indian professionals to work in the U.S., representing a human and economic cost to India’s most successful export—its talent.
The Irony of the Trump-Modi Relationship
The policy friction stood in stark contrast to the highly publicized personal chemistry between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Events like “Howdy Modi” in Houston and “Namaste Trump” in Ahmedabad were massive, celebratory spectacles designed to showcase the strength of the U.S.-India bond.
This spectacle, however, masked the underlying policy antagonism. The “Trumpasur” metaphor perfectly captures this irony: a friendly face in public, but a destructive force in policy. The American Progress report titled Shattered Trust encapsulates this dynamic, describing the gap between the rhetoric of a strong partnership and the reality of punitive actions. The trust was shattered not by a lack of personal rapport, but by the consistent prioritization of “America First” over the strategic and economic interests of its supposed ally.
The Legacy of Trumpasur
The “Trumpasur” is a powerful cultural artifact that transcends simple political caricature. It is a manifestation of India’s frustration with the unpredictability and transactional nature of a key diplomatic relationship. The term encapsulates the feeling that India was being treated not as a strategic partner, but as a trade adversary to be bullied with tariffs and a regional player whose security concerns could be dismissed with cavalier pronouncements.
Ultimately, the legacy of “Trumpasur” is a lesson in the limits of personal diplomacy. It highlights that while public spectacles can generate goodwill, they cannot sustain a strategic partnership when core national interests—particularly in trade and security—are actively undermined. The term will remain a potent symbol of the period when India felt compelled to confront a perceived “demon” in its diplomatic relations, forcing the nation to re-evaluate and safeguard its interests in a rapidly changing global order.