Former U.S. President Donald Trump has responded to his recent remarks about the United States having "lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China". Speaking to the media at the White House, Trump stated, "I don't think we have," walking back on his earlier statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump's initial comment followed a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. A photograph of the three leaders together was shared by Trump on his Truth Social account, accompanied by the statement: "Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!".
During his address at the White House, Trump voiced his disappointment with India's continued purchases of oil from Russia. "I've been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia," he said, adding, "And I let them know that". He also mentioned the 50 percent tariffs imposed by the United States on India. "We put a very big tariff on India. 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff," Trump stated. New Delhi has previously called these tariffs "unfair".
Despite these criticisms, Trump affirmed his positive relationship with Prime Minister Modi. "I get along very well with Modi, as you know. He's great," Trump said. He also recalled Modi's recent visit to the White House, sharing an anecdote about a press conference held in the Rose Garden. "We went to the Rose Garden and it was, the grass was so soaking wet. Such a terrible place to have a news conference. I said, let's use a beautiful white stone emblematic of the White House. And it's been very well received,” Trump recounted.
Trump's initial remarks sparked debate about potential shifts in global politics, particularly concerning the relationships between India, Russia, and China. In response to Trump's comments, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stated that the relationship between the United States and India is "very important". "Both our countries share a comprehensive global strategic partnership, which is anchored in our shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties," Jaiswal added.
