In a recent social media post, former U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his concerns about the evolving relationships between India, Russia, and China. Trump's statement, made on his Truth Social platform, suggested that the U.S. has "lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China". He accompanied his words with a photo of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping together at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

The SCO summit, which took place earlier in the week, saw the three leaders interacting closely. Modi and Putin were seen holding hands as they walked toward Xi. This দৃশ্য has fueled speculation about a potential shift in global alliances, with some analysts interpreting it as a sign of growing unity among nations that have experienced increasing tensions with the U.S.

Trump's remarks have sparked debate about a potential realignment in global politics. Some interpret his statement as an acknowledgment that his "MAGA" vision has resulted in the U.S. losing influence with India and Russia, countries he seemingly expected to be aligned with Washington. The characterization of China as "deepest, darkest" suggests a view of the nation as a primary adversary.

However, later on Friday, Trump told reporters he didn't think the U.S. had lost India to China. "I've been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil, as you know, from Russia. And I let them know that," he said.

Adding to the discussion, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that India needs to decide which side it wants to be on, implying a choice between supporting the U.S. or aligning with Russia and China. Lutnick also alluded to potential consequences, such as increased tariffs, if India does not align with the U.S.

India's Ministry of External Affairs has so far declined to comment directly on Trump's remarks. However, officials have stated that the U.S.'s tariff policies are a "miscalculation" of India's position in world affairs. An official source stated that India is a large democracy and market, active in global platforms, and partnering with the U.S. on many challenges, and that targeting India is a miscalculation. Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Indian External Affairs Ministry, stated that the relationship between the U.S. and India is very important, based on shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties.

Despite the perceived chill in relations, some experts believe that ties between India and the U.S. remain stable due to the efforts of officials working to maintain an even keel. It's been noted that India has maintained that Modi's visit to Tianjin was for the SCO summit, where he met with Xi and Putin. India has also been trying to repair ties with China since Chinese incursions along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh in May 2020.

The U.S. has imposed a 25 percent tariff on India related to its purchases of Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine, and also a 25 percent tariff on India over trade barriers faced by American firms. Some have criticized India's continued purchase of Russian weapons and oil.