A day after imposing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, US President Donald Trump has caused new controversy by lashing out with biting remarks against India's increasing relations with Russia.
In a scathing message on Truth Social, Trump brushed aside fears over India's relationship with Moscow, claiming that both countries could sink their "dead economies" together.
"I could not care less what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for my money. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let's keep it that way," Trump wrote.
Trump also lashed out at ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, responding to his recent threat that Washington's ultimatums would escalate into a full-blown war. ".and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who believes he's still President, to be careful what he says. He's in very bad space," the US President went on.
These words come after Trump's latest policy action setting in place substantial tariffs on Indian imports, combined with a sanction concerning India's defense commerce with Russia.
Although he recognized India as a partner, Trump also attacked the trade practices of the country. "Remember, although India is our friend, we have, over time, done comparatively little business with them because their tariffs are much too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most difficult and annoying non-monetary trade barriers of any Country," he stated, highlighting the "enormous" trade imbalance between the two nations.
Trump also criticized India's continued defense purchases from Moscow, noting that India has traditionally imported most of its weaponry from Russia. "They are Russia's biggest buyer of energy, and China, at a time when everybody wants Russia to please stop killing in Ukraine," he said.
India has been repeatedly faulted by the West for continuing its Russian energy imports during the Ukraine war. In turn, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has consistently come to the defense of the government's actions, asserting that India's energy policy is premised on securing the best interests of Indians. He also emphasized Western hypocrisy, at one point quipping that the West needs to get beyond the belief that "Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
Following the imposition of new tariffs, the Indian government made a statement that it is considering the implications of Washington's move. "India and the US have been in talks for the past few months to finalize a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement. We remain committed to that objective.". The Government places greatest emphasis on safeguarding and advancing the interests of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs," stated the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The statement went further to assure that India would do "all it takes" to protect its interests, using its recent Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK as evidence of its determination to achieve favorable trade agreements.
Trump's sharp words against Medvedev follow as the Russian politician, now Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, threatened that America's policy towards Russia was moving toward inciting war. "Every new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not Russia vs. Ukraine, but with (Trump's) own nation," Medvedev had tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), in reply to Trump's previous criticism of Vladimir Putin for not ending the Ukraine war. Trump had previously narrowed the timeframe for a peace settlement from 50 days to only 10 or 12.
Throwing another twist to the diplomatic developing tensions, Trump also declared a new energy partnership with Pakistan soon after imposing the tariffs on India. "We have just reached a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, where Pakistan and the United States will collaborate on developing their tremendous Oil Reserves.We are in the process of selecting the Oil Company that will spearhead this Partnership," he tweeted.
The news comes at a time of increased tension in India-Pakistan relations after the Pahalgam terror attack, which makes Trump's fresh engagement with Islamabad especially delicate.
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