KATHMANDU, July 31: A day after slapping a 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, US President Donald Trump turned up the heat yet again—this time, with a blistering rebuke aimed at both New Delhi and Moscow. In a characteristically blunt post on Truth Social, Trump dismissed concerns about India’s close ties with Russia, stating: “I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
The comment, incendiary even by Trumpian standards, marks a stark escalation in Washington’s posture toward India. “We have done very little business with India; their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world,” he continued, lumping New Delhi together with Moscow as economic partners who, in his words, are dragging each other down.
The US President’s latest outburst follows an already controversial announcement imposing a steep import tariff on Indian goods, coupled with a penalty for New Delhi’s continued defence purchases from Russia. Trump, who is making economic nationalism a cornerstone of his campaign rhetoric, claimed the US suffers a “massive” trade deficit with India and accused it of erecting “strenuous and obnoxious” non-monetary trade barriers.
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But the vitriol wasn’t reserved for India alone. Trump also took aim at former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, responding to the latter’s warning that the US’s “ultimatum game” with Moscow could spark war. “Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he's still President, to watch his words. He's entering very dangerous territory,” Trump wrote.
The remarks come as part of a broader tirade against Russia’s continued war in Ukraine—a conflict Trump claims he could end within weeks if returned to office. Recently, he cut down his proposed “peace settlement deadline” from 50 days to just 10 or 12, lamenting that Russian President Vladimir Putin had yet to act decisively to end the bloodshed.
India, for its part, has been walking a diplomatic tightrope since the onset of the Ukraine war, defending its energy purchases from Moscow as a matter of national interest. External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar has repeatedly said India’s choices are guided by the welfare of its citizens and accused the West of selective outrage, famously remarking that “Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.”
In response to the latest tariff announcement, New Delhi struck a measured tone. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said it had “taken note” and is “studying its implications.” It added that India and the US had been negotiating a “fair, balanced and mutually beneficial” bilateral trade agreement and reiterated its commitment to protecting the interests of farmers, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs.
“The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest,” the statement said, noting India’s broader engagement on trade agreements, including the ongoing Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement negotiations with the UK.
Adding a new layer of complexity, Trump also revealed a surprise deal with Pakistan, India’s long-time rival. The agreement involves joint efforts to develop Pakistan’s oil reserves, with the US President saying a lead oil company for the venture would soon be selected.
The timing of the announcement is striking. It comes on the heels of a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which has further soured India-Pakistan relations. As India grapples with the diplomatic shockwaves from Trump’s barrage, the larger message from Washington is clear: the cost of strategic autonomy may be rising.
