Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the state of relations between the United States and India, calling the bilateral partnership a “one-sided disaster.” The comments come amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent high-profile meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump suggests further complicate the strategic landscape.
Speaking on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump argued that the trade relationship between the two nations has long been imbalanced. “What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us,” he wrote. “In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest client, but we sell them very little. Until now, a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
Trump also pointed to high tariffs as a major barrier preventing American businesses from accessing the Indian market. He noted that India’s tariff rates have historically been among the highest in the world, which, according to him, has hindered U.S. exports. While India has recently signaled a willingness to reduce tariffs to zero, Trump lamented that the move comes “very late” and “should have been done years ago.”
Beyond trade, the former president criticized India’s energy and defense ties with Russia. “India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the U.S.,” Trump highlighted, suggesting that these purchases indirectly support Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. He had previously accused New Delhi of funding Russia’s war effort through oil imports, sparking controversy in diplomatic circles.
Trump’s remarks come at a time when India is seeking to maintain a delicate balance between its strategic partnerships with major global powers. His outspoken criticism underscores ongoing tensions in U.S.-India relations, particularly over trade imbalances, energy dependencies, and broader geopolitical alignments.
The former president concluded his post by urging Americans to “ponder” these realities, framing the bilateral ties as historically skewed and in need of urgent recalibration if the United States is to benefit more equitably from its relationship with India.