Modi, Trump, and the Danger of Flattery

Narendra Modi learned early that the way to deal with Donald Trump was through flattery. Trump thrives on it, and Modi leaned in.

• “Howdy, Modi” (Houston, 2019): Modi invited Trump to an event attended by nearly 50,000 Indian Americans, giving Trump the spotlight he craved.
• “Namaste Trump” (Ahmedabad, 2020): Modi went bigger, hosting Trump at the world’s largest cricket stadium before 100,000 people.
• Quick White House Visit: Soon after Trump’s inauguration, Modi rushed to Washington, another gesture aimed at stroking Trump’s ego.

But notice the contrast: Modi never extended this kind of flattery to Joe Biden. The results were visible in 2024, when Indian Americans swung toward Trump in large numbers—rewarding the very dynamic Modi had set in motion.

The Pahalgam Test

Then came the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 Indians—mostly Hindus—were killed. Modi struck back at terrorists in Pakistan. Within four days, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire. Trump rushed to claim credit, saying he forced both nations to stand down or risk losing U.S. business. Modi initially remained silent, but later pushed back, clarifying that Trump had no involvement. Yet Trump continues to tell the story as if he single-handedly ended a war.

Checkmate from Pakistan

While Modi relied on stadium crowds and public gestures, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir played a sharper game.

• He got invited to a White House lunch with Trump.
• Pakistan offered Trump’s children a lucrative crypto business.
• Munir even nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

It was a checkmate. Against this, Modi’s flattery looked shallow. To Trump, Modi became just another player who could be outdone.

The Lesson: The Problem with Flattery

Flattery feels good at first, but it’s a dangerous tool. Someone else can always outflatter you—and when that happens, you’re left looking small. That’s what happened to Modi. Indian media, tightly aligned with him, will never admit it. But to Trump, Modi is now irrelevant.

Why Flattery Fails
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1. Destroys Trust
   • It erodes authenticity and makes relationships transactional.
   • People sense insincerity, and credibility vanishes.
2. Blocks Growth
   • Excess praise creates delusion and stifles honest feedback.
   • Real compliments lose meaning when everything is flattery.
3. Invites Manipulation
   • Flattery exploits insecurities and shifts power to the flatterer.
   • It becomes a tool for control, not respect.
4. Weakens Leadership
   • Leaders surrounded by flatterers lose touch with reality.
   • Organizations rot when truth is replaced with empty praise.

Final Thought

Compliments, when sincere, can inspire. But flattery is poison—it manipulates, distorts, and eventually backfires. Modi’s story with Trump shows exactly why: once someone outflatters you, you’re nothing.

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