Trump’s America First Retreat | External Affairs | AI Image

New Delhi |Jan 08, 2026 | BeyondborBersbyJwala

In a move that fundamentally alters the architecture of global multilateralism, US President Donald Trump has initiated a sweeping withdrawal from 66 international organizations. The executive action, justified by the White House as a rejection of "woke" ideology and "redundant" bureaucracy, targets bodies pivotal to climate action, peacebuilding, and trade.

For India, this marks a critical geopolitica
l juncture. While New Delhi has maintained a pragmatic relationship with the Trump administration, the US exit from key bodies—most notably the International Solar Alliance (ISA)—presents both an immediate challenge to joint initiatives and a long-term opportunity for India to cement its leadership of the Global South.

The Hit to India’s Climate Diplomacy

The most stinging development for Indian diplomacy is the US withdrawal from the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Co-founded by India and France in 2015, the Gurugram-headquartered alliance was a centrepiece of Prime Minister Modi’s climate diplomacy. The US had joined the ISA in 2021, a move seen then as a validation of India’s global leadership.

The Trump administration’s exit from the ISA, alongside the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), signals a total American abdication of climate responsibility.

  • Indian Impact: India’s ambitious renewable energy goals relied partially on US technology transfers and finance. New Delhi will now likely pivot deeper towards European partners and the Global South to sustain the ISA’s momentum without American funding.

Trade and Commodity Disruptions

The withdrawal list includes the International Cotton Advisory Committee and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

  • Why it matters to India: As one of the world’s largest cotton producers, India relies on the Cotton Advisory Committee for market stability and standards. A US exit could destabilize global pricing mechanisms. Furthermore, the exit from UNCTAD removes a key platform where developing nations (the G77) negotiate trade equity with the developed world.

Security and Democracy: A Vacuum for China?

The US is leaving the Global Counterterrorism Forum and the UN Democracy Fund.

  • Strategic Concern: India has consistently pushed for a unified global stance on counter-terrorism. A US retreat fractures this consensus. Moreover, as the US steps back from the UN Democracy Fund and the Peacebuilding Commission, a vacuum is created. Strategic analysts in New Delhi fear this space will be rapidly filled by Beijing, potentially reshaping international norms away from democratic values.

The "Woke" Justification vs. Indian Realities

The White House has categorized agencies focusing on gender, migration, and diversity as "contrary to US interests." This includes the UN Population Fund and UN Women. For India, which runs massive developmental programs in partnership with these agencies regarding women's health and population management, the loss of the largest donor (the US) will strain resources and likely require New Delhi to increase its own voluntary contributions.

New Delhi’s Strategic Calculus

While the US remains in the UN Security Council (where India seeks a permanent seat), this "à la carte" multilateralism complicates India's foreign policy. The burden of sustaining the rules-based international order now falls heavier on middle powers like India, Japan, and France.

The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to review the funding gaps these withdrawals will create, particularly in bodies where India has significant stakes, such as the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology.