Trump Warns US Losing India, Russia to China Amid Trade Row
- By Thetripurapost Web Desk, Washington
- Sep 05, 2025
- 673
Former US President Donald Trump on Friday made a cryptic social media post that has cast fresh uncertainty over prospects of a trade breakthrough with India. Sharing a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump declared that it appeared the US had “lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China.”
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” he wrote, in remarks that have drawn attention across diplomatic circles.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi declined to comment directly on Trump’s statement. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “I have no comments to offer on this post at this time.”
Trade Tensions and Tariff Threats
The development comes against the backdrop of Trump’s repeated warnings over India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil. Just days earlier, he hinted at introducing “phase-2 and phase-3” tariffs as part of his economic pressure campaign.
“That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action? Then I have not done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3... Two weeks ago, I said if India buys, India has got big problems, and that’s what happens,” Trump remarked.
In a separate interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show, Trump lashed out at what he described as unfair trade practices. “China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. I’ve understood tariffs better than they did; I understood tariffs better than any human beings in the world. India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world, and you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. No tariffs. If I didn’t have tariffs, they would never make that offer. So you have to have tariffs.”
50% Tariffs Spark Backlash at Home
Trump’s unilateral decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods has drawn sharp criticism in the US, with lawmakers and industry bodies warning that it could hurt American businesses as much as Indian exporters. Adding to the controversy, a federal appeals court recently struck down the duties as unlawful, raising questions about their enforceability.
Geopolitical Undercurrents
Analysts note that Trump’s latest remarks reflect not only his trade frustrations but also larger geopolitical anxieties over New Delhi’s balancing act between Washington, Moscow, and Beijing. India has resisted Western pressure to cut energy imports from Russia while simultaneously deepening defense and technology ties with the US.
Diplomatic observers say Trump’s cryptic post could further complicate negotiations on a comprehensive trade deal, which have already been stalled for years despite intermittent breakthroughs.