Tony Abbott Criticises Trump’s Tariffs on India, Calls It a ‘Misplayed Hand’
- By Thetripurapost Web Desk, New Delhi
- Oct 17, 2025
- 540
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has criticised US President Donald Trump for imposing punitive tariffs on India, calling the move a “misplayed hand” that risks damaging ties with a key democratic ally.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, Abbott — known for his close ties with conservative leaders worldwide — said he supports Trump in general but believes Washington has erred in its approach toward New Delhi.
“I am a supporter of President Trump, but I think he misplayed his hand with India recently when he imposed those punitive tariffs, particularly given there are other countries that are cheating here, especially China, that didn't get the same kind of treatment,” Abbott said.
Abbott described the tariffs as a “temporary setback” for India–US relations and expressed hope that the issue could be “remedied very quickly.”
> “Given the fundamental community of interest and values that India does have with the democracies, I think it will only be a temporary setback,” he added.
The former Australian leader also took a swipe at the US’s historical tilt toward Pakistan, arguing that Washington’s long-term strategic interests lie with India.
“One of the big mistakes America made during the Cold War was consistently tilting towards Pakistan, a military dictatorship, as opposed to India, a liberal democracy,” Abbott remarked.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions over Washington’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods, including an additional 25% penalty on Russian energy purchases. The US claims India’s continued trade with Moscow undermines global sanctions against Russia.
India, however, has rejected the allegations, maintaining that its energy imports are guided purely by market dynamics and national security priorities. New Delhi has also denied Trump’s recent claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to stop buying Russian oil, calling it “inaccurate and baseless.”
Diplomatic observers see Abbott’s comments as a reflection of growing concern among Western allies that US protectionism could strain its partnerships in the Indo-Pacific — at a time when cooperation with India is seen as vital to balancing China’s influence.