A prominent road in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana, was renamed Donald Trump Avenue on Tuesday, sparking controversy among political parties across the country. The decision, made under the state government led by the opposition Indian National Congress, has drawn sharp criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other political groups.
The road, located near the US consulate and close to major American technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, now bears the name of the former US president despite strained relations between India and the United States during Trump’s second term. The Trump administration imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, penalized India for purchasing Russian oil, and maintained close engagements with Pakistan, India’s regional rival.
The BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla highlighted the contradiction in the Congress-led Telangana government honoring Trump while the party’s national leaders have criticized the former president. He referenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s previous remarks accusing Trump of harming Indian interests. “Then why is his government in Telangana giving the ultimate tribute to him by renaming a road after him?” Poonawalla said on social media platform X.
The move has also been condemned by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which labeled it “outrageous” and called for the renaming decision to be reversed.
In contrast, Congress defends the renaming as a symbol of Hyderabad’s expanding role in the bilateral relationship between India and the United States. While Trump did not visit Hyderabad during his time in office, earlier US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have made official visits to the city.
The renaming announcement coincides with efforts to strengthen US-India ties. Trump and Modi met on the sidelines of the recent G7 summit in France, where they agreed to advance negotiations on a trade deal intended to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
The naming of the road after Donald Trump comes amid ongoing political tensions and divergent views on the direction of India-US relations, highlighting the complex dynamics between state and national political agendas.