The Popularity of Donald Trump in India – Explained

Abstract This article examines the curious popularity of Donald Trump in India by investigating pivotal events of Indian socio-political history and the embedded yet imperceptible tenets of Indian culture. The central question of this article is thus, what are the cultural, economic, and socio-political factors that explain the peculiar popularity of Trump among specific sections of the Indian nationalist populace? The article also reveals the processes that have nurtured affinity for populist leadership in India since the country’s independence. It documents why Hindu nationalists have a positive image of Trump. The analysis reveals a dialectical relationship between the demand for strong leadership and how it apparently guarantees individual freedom in India. Indians have previously displayed affinity for populist leaders both in their country and abroad – this article demonstrates how these ambivalences have come to exist among Hindu nationalists wherein they support Indian and foreign populists simultaneously.