Letters to The Editor — March 21, 2026

The war in West Asia

History will record Donald Trump as the worst American President — one who has a penchant for indulging in warfare. His ‘offensive capabilities’, it seems, prompt him to resort to wars as a matter of routine. He has made a U-turn now by suggesting that Israel should not target Iran’s oil refineries. But the question is this: who is he to dictate how wars must be fought and what strategies must be adopted? This shows him in a bad light. Now that America cannot wage a war against Iran, as such a move would lead to multiple unforeseen global complications, he is desperate to bring the war to an end. This may not be possible in the foreseeable future as both Iran and Israel have suffered. America’s tacit involvement has become too obvious. Diplomatically, America is caught in the cross-fire, unable to extricate itself from the mess. It is clear that Mr. Trump does not have the political acumen to find the ways and the means to give a quietus to the war in West Asia.

V. Lakshmanan,

Tirupur, Tamil Nadu

India’s West Asia reset has been characterised as a “long-overdue recognition” of geopolitical shifts. However, this “realism” comes at the cost of erosion of India’s strategic autonomy and its historical identity as a principled soft power. India’s global stature was built on being a “benevolent soft power”, not a transactional hard power. By yielding to western pressure on Iranian and Venezuelan oil, often at the cost of India’s own strategic petroleum reserves and risking its energy security, India is moving away from the very “strategic autonomy” that it so loudly proclaims. A “confident power” does not take cues from Washington on its energy security, nor does it abandon the rupee-rial trade mechanisms that once bypassed the hegemony of the dollar. This is not a “reset”. It is a retreat from the non-aligned sovereignty that made India an unanimously accepted leader of the Global South.

R. Vishakan,

Chennai

The deadly strikes on key infrastructure have already sent the global economy for a toss. Much water has flowed under the bridge since the start of the war on February 28. Any prolongation will spell doom for many countries. The U.S. President must display high statesmanship. The U.S. should eschew its belligerent and muscle flexing and set into motion deft diplomacy to bring about a ceasefire.

V. Johan Dhanakumar,

Chennai

Crossover season

It is unfortunate that during elections, party-switching has become a routine feature, with politicians crossing over primarily for power and monetary gain. Some political parties engage in ‘horse-trading’ by recruiting candidates from rival parties for electoral advantage. In the run-up to the Assam Assembly elections, the BJP has fielded defectors from the Congress, who have not only betrayed their parent party but also the voters who had elected them on a Congress ticket Although an anti-defection law exists, it remains largely toothless in curbing such practices. Ultimately, it is up to voters to identify such turncoats and reject them when they seek votes.

D. Sethuraman,

Chennai