Anti-Indian Campaigns in the West and the Shifting Global Order
Introduction
In recent years, India has found itself the subject of increasing hostility abroad, particularly in the form of anti-Indian rallies in Australia and disinformation campaigns on social media in the United States. While these movements have not yet achieved widespread traction, their undertones of prejudice and cultural bias are troubling. At the same time, the return of Donald Trump to the American presidency has heightened political and economic instability worldwide, unintentionally nudging traditionally non-aligned India closer to powers such as China and Russia.
Anti-India Campaigns in the US and Australia
In Australia, several pro-Khalistan protests in 2023 and 2024 witnessed vandalism of Hindu temples and confrontations with Indian community groups. Local authorities have struggled to balance freedom of expression with the risk of sectarian division. In the United States, coordinated online campaigns have sought to amplify narratives critical of India’s domestic policies. Research by disinformation watchdogs has shown that diaspora networks and foreign interest groups have used platforms such as X and Facebook to propagate misleading content against India.¹
Trump’s Return and Its Global Impact
Donald Trump’s renewed leadership has deepened fault lines in the international order. His “America First” approach, marked by trade protectionism and transactional diplomacy, has unsettled partners and weakened US credibility. For India, which has historically pursued strategic autonomy, Trump’s unpredictability has underscored the importance of hedging ties with multiple partners, including Russia, China, and emerging economies. Analysts suggest that Washington’s inability to sustain its “big brother” image has accelerated the trend towards multipolarity.²
Immigration, Racism, and Hypocrisy
It is worth noting that both the United States and Australia are immigrant societies, built on colonisation and the displacement of indigenous populations. America’s systemic racism—once enshrined in law and social practice—required decades of civil rights struggles to dismantle. Allowing anti-Indian campaigns on their soil today echoes the same supremacist impulses in a different form. When targeted against a community known for its economic contributions and peaceful coexistence, such campaigns threaten to erode the very pluralism these nations claim to uphold.³
India’s Intellectual Capital
The Indian diaspora has been instrumental in shaping the economies of the US and Australia. According to US Census Bureau data (2022), Indian-Americans are the highest-earning ethnic group, with a median household income of over $140,000—almost double the national average.⁴ In Australia, Indians are one of the fastest-growing migrant groups, contributing significantly in healthcare, IT, and education. Expelling or alienating this talent pool would not weaken India but would instead deprive host countries of crucial skills. With many nations actively courting Indian professionals, India can both retain and redirect this intellectual capital for its own development.
The New Multipolar Order
The widely circulated image of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un is not merely symbolic. It represents a rebalancing of global power. The US can no longer unilaterally dictate terms as it once did in the post-Cold War era. Scholars such as Kishore Mahbubani argue that the 21st century will be dominated by Asia, with India as a central player in shaping global norms.⁵ Trump’s policies—though intended to strengthen America—have paradoxically accelerated this transition towards multipolarity.
Conclusion
Anti-Indian campaigns in the US and Australia may lack mass support today, but their dangerous undertones of prejudice and disinformation demand vigilance. For India, these challenges underscore the importance of resilience, diplomacy, and self-reliance. The West must realise that India is no longer a passive recipient of global currents but an active architect of the new order. A partnership based on equality, rather than condescension or hostility, remains the only sustainable path forward.
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Footnotes
1. Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Khalistan Activism and Disinformation in the West, Policy Brief, 2023.
2. Council on Foreign Relations, The Trump Doctrine Revisited: Implications for Asia, 2024.
3. Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Race and Racism in the United States: Historical Perspectives, Harvard Law Review, 2020.
4. US Census Bureau, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2022, Washington D.C.
5. Kishore Mahbubani, Has the West Lost It? A Provocation, Penguin, 2018.
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