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2h ago

Modi’s Meetings With Putin and Xi Prompt U.S. Rebukes as 50% Tariffs Take Hold

Heavy U.S. tariffs tied to Russian oil purchases now define a tense phase in U.S.–India relations.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin leaving together in a car for the venue of their bilateral meeting after attending the SCO Summit in Tianjin.
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Chinese President Xi jinping (R) shows the way to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on September 1, 2025 in Tianjin, China.

Overview

  • Tariffs totaling 50% on many Indian goods are now in force after an added 25% levy linked to Russian oil took effect on August 27, with planned trade talks hitting a roadblock as India defends its oil buys as energy security.
  • At the SCO summit in Tianjin, Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, with widely shared images showing hand-holding and a shared limousine ride with Putin.
  • President Trump labeled the trade relationship a “totally one sided disaster” on Truth Social and claimed India offered to cut its tariffs on U.S. goods to zero.
  • U.S. messaging diverged as the embassy in New Delhi praised an “enduring friendship” while adviser Peter Navarro accused India of acting as a Kremlin “laundromat” and Treasury chief Scott Bessent called the SCO display “largely performative.”
  • Commentators including David Ignatius, John Bolton, and Ed Price warned that punitive U.S. policy risks a strategic setback by nudging India toward closer alignment with Russia and China.