- US President Trump criticised India’s high tariffs and limited US-India trade relations
- Trump said he does not care about India’s dealings with Russia amid economic tensions
- He warned former Russian President Medvedev to watch his words on Russia-US relations
A day after announcing 25 per cent tariffs on imports from India, US President Donald Trump has dropped another bombshell. Hitting out at India and Russia, he has said he does not care about New Delhi's dealings with Moscow and that the two "can take their dead economies down together".
"I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. 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," he said in a post on Truth Social.
The US President targeted former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for warning that Washington DC's "ultimatum game" with Russia could lead to war. "...and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he's still President, to watch his words. He's entering very dangerous territory," the US President said.
The US President's remarks come a day after he announced 25 per cent tariffs on imports from India, plus a penalty for New Delhi's purchases from Russia.
"Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any Country," Trump said, adding that the US has a "massive" trade deficit with India.
Disapproving of New Delhi's defence deals with Moscow, the US President said India has "always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia". They "are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine."
Since the war in Ukraine began, the Western powers have repeatedly scoffed at India buying Russian oil. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has articulated the Indian position on this subject and said it was merely trying to get the best deal for its citizens. He has also pointed to the double standards of the West, saying that it needs to grow out of the mindset that "Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
Following Trump's announcement on tariffs, the government said it has "taken note" and is "studying its implications". "India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective. The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.
"The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK," the government said.
Trump's fire at Medvedev, who has served as Russia's president and prime minister and is currently the Deputy Chairman of its Security Council, follows a post on X in which he flagged Trump's "ultimatum game" with Russia.
"Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with (Trump's) own country," he said. The remark had followed Trump expressing disappointment over Russian President Vladimir Putin's failure to end the war in Ukraine. The US President had said he was reducing the deadline for a peace settlement from 50 days to 10 or 12.
Trump's outburst comes against another backdrop. Shortly after announcing the tariffs on New Delhi, the US President said he had struck a deal with Pakistan, to jointly develop its oil reserves. "We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves...We are in the process of choosing the Oil Company that will lead this Partnership," Trump wrote on social media. This comes at a time when ties between New Delhi and Islamabad are at an all-time low after the Pahalgam terror attack.
