To a person unfamiliar with India’s history and political economy, the Indian government’s response to Trump’s actions must be puzzling.

Several obituaries of Amiya Kumar Bagchi have appeared since his death on November 28, covering his remarkable achievements.

Indian propagandists talk of India’s “emerging status as a technological powerhouse”, and the heads of the world’s largest technology corporations have started to refer to India as a global technology/software “superpower”, at least in their interactions with Indian media outlets.