Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has recently criticized the current state of U.S. policy toward India, describing it as "confused" and suggesting that former President Donald Trump's approach to the country was "aberrational". In an interview, Bolton addressed concerns regarding tariffs and sanctions imposed on India, particularly in light of India's purchases of Russian oil and gas.

Bolton specifically questioned the logic behind the 25% penalty imposed on India for purchasing Russian energy, especially when China, a major purchaser of Russian oil and gas, has not faced similar sanctions. He stated that Russia itself has also not been sanctioned for its actions. According to Bolton, India has been singled out, which he finds both unfortunate and unfair.

Bolton warned that the India-US relationship is currently "in a very bad place". He stressed the need to limit damage to bilateral ties, particularly during the remainder of the U.S. President's term. He also stated that repairing the diplomatic fallout from recent actions would be a lengthy process, and that "when you make a mistake as big as the way the White House has ended up treating India over the past 30 days, it takes a long time to restore trust and confidence".

Bolton believes that Trump's actions, such as imposing steep tariffs on New Delhi, were a "mistake in the bilateral relationship" and cautioned that it could take time to repair the damage. He also pointed out that Washington seemed unwilling to finalize trade negotiations that Indian negotiators believed were close to completion.

Bolton sarcastically suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could "offer to nominate Trump twice for a Nobel Peace Prize," referencing Pakistan's similar approach.

Defending his tariff decision, Trump claimed that India was helping Russia continue its war in Ukraine by buying "massive amounts of Russian Oil" and then selling it on the open market for significant profits, without regard for the casualties in Ukraine.

Bolton noted that Trump has long desired to make a trade deal with China, which would be the largest in history. He suggested that this ambition might explain why China has not faced similar penalties despite also importing Russian oil.

Bolton cautioned that the current situation could potentially push India closer to Russia and China, which he believes would not be in the interest of the U.S.. He also stated that it's not in India's interest either. Bolton highlighted the differences among the BRICS countries, particularly between democracies like India and Brazil and non-democracies like Russia and China. He also pointed to the tensions between India and China, especially regarding their disputed border.

Bolton described the sanctions on India over its purchase of Russian oil as a "Trump mistake" and like "shooting ourselves in the foot," especially since other countries like China are not subject to the same measures.