US President Donald Trump Appears to Clarify His Remarks on India and China
In recent days, former US President Donald Trump made headlines with statements suggesting that the US has “lost” India and Russia to China. However, during a White House press conference on Friday, Trump clarified his stance and said he doesn’t believe the US has lost India to China.
When asked if he blamed anyone for “losing India to China,” Trump responded confidently, “I don’t think we have.” He also spoke about his good relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying they get along very well. Still, he expressed disappointment with India over its recent purchase of Russian oil.
Trump pointed out, “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia.” He added that the US has responded by imposing a hefty 50% tariff on India’s imports as a way to show disapproval.
Earlier on Friday, Trump shared a social media post featuring Prime Minister Modi alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the post, Trump claimed that India and Russia seem to have “been lost” to China and jokingly wished them a “long and prosperous future together.”
These statements came amid rising tensions and heated rhetoric against India from some members of Trump’s team. White House Advisor Peter Navarro accused India of having “high tariffs that cost US jobs” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Another aide, Laura Loomer, suggested that the US might block American IT companies from outsourcing work to Indian firms—though she didn’t provide any proof for this claim.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Bloomberg, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mentioned that the US is “always willing to talk” with India but also emphasized preconditions. He pointed out that India is hesitant to open its market and stop buying Russian oil, and he criticized India’s participation in BRICS, implying it complicates US-India relations. Lutnick warned that if India continues to buy Russian oil and aligns with China, it could face a 50% tariff.
On the Indian side, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed India’s intention to buy Russian oil. She explained that India will prioritize what’s best for its economy, especially since importing oil is a major expense. “We will continue buying Russian oil,” she stated in an interview, emphasizing India’s strategic independence in energy decisions.
This ongoing tug-of-war highlights the complex relationship between the US and India, especially as global geopolitics evolve. While some US officials express concern over India’s Russian oil purchases and growing ties with China, India maintains its stance on energy independence and strategic needs.
Stay tuned for more updates on US-India relations and global geopolitics.
