The US President appeared upset as Modi, Xi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared warm exchanges at the summit.
Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, US President Donald Trump issued a strong attack on India. Trump defended his 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods and repeated his claim that the trade relationship is “totally one-sided.”
The US President appeared upset as Modi, Xi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared warm exchanges at the summit. The three leaders discussed global trade, oil imports, and ways to handle the impact of American tariffs.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump complained about India’s trade practices. He said, “… they do a tremendous amount of business with us… they sell us massive amounts of goods, but we sell them very little. Until now, a totally one-sided relationship.”
He again called India a “tariff abuser” and argued that American companies struggle to access India’s agriculture and dairy markets.
Trump also highlighted India’s energy and defence partnership with Russia. He wrote, “Also, India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia… very little from the US. They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing... but it's getting late. They should have done so years ago.”
The Indian government has rejected Trump’s accusations. Officials said the country will continue to buy discounted Russian oil to secure its energy needs. They also pointed out that several Western nations still purchase from Moscow despite sanctions.
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India called the US tariffs “unjustified, unreasonable, and unfair.” New Delhi said its priority is to protect Indian farmers and small-scale industries that depend heavily on exports.
The new tariffs, which began last week, affect nearly $48 billion worth of Indian goods going to the US. The list includes gems, textiles, and seafood like shrimps. In addition, Washington has placed a 25 per cent penalty on India’s imports of Russian oil and military equipment.
Trade experts fear the move could hurt India’s export economy, which relies on the US as a major market.
While Trump turned up the pressure, India and China appeared to move closer. Modi’s visit to China is his first in seven years, and both sides have discussed ways to boost trade between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Delhi last month marked a thaw in ties after years of tension. Experts say stronger India-China cooperation could help both nations offset the pressure of US tariffs.
