India-US Tariff War / Jaishankar Moscow, Chinese Minister Delhi... What is India doing to burn America?

India-US Tariff War: US President Donald Trump is trying to suppress India with tariff threats, but the Narendra Modi government has made it clear that it will put national interest first. India is not only standing up to Trump's threats, but is also sending a strong message on the global stage by strengthening strategic relations with Russia and China. This move not only reflects India's diplomatic autonomy, but also symbolizes a challenge to Trump's policies.

Unbreakable friendship with Russia

Trump is trying to distance India from Russia, but India, on the contrary, has deepened its friendship with Moscow. After the recent visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to Russia, now External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is going to meet the Russian Foreign Minister on 21 August 2025. Just a few days after this meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India in September 2025. This visit was decided during Doval's visit.

India has also continued to import oil from Russia uninterrupted, which is not going down well with Trump. Trump tried to put pressure on India by imposing 25% and then 50% tariffs, but India made it clear that it will continue to buy oil from Russia for its energy security and national interests. Russia has also supported India, saying that India has every right to take independent decisions in its own interest.

Growing closeness with China

India is not only strengthening its friendship with Russia, but is also taking steps to improve relations with China. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi may visit New Delhi on August 18, 2025, where he is likely to meet Ajit Doval. This visit will be the first visit of a Chinese leader to India after Operation Sindoor. Apart from this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit to be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, 2025, which will be his first visit to China after seven years.

Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Ajit Doval and S. Jaishankar have also visited China on various occasions in 2025. These visits are increasing diplomatic coordination between India and China. Beijing is pressing for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral framework, although India has not yet taken a clear stand on this. Nevertheless, it is clear that India and China are responding unitedly against Trump's tariff policies.

India's response to Trump's policies

India has outright rejected many of Trump's demands, which is the main reason for his displeasure.

Standing firm on tariffs: Trump wants India to stop importing oil from Russia and open its dairy and agriculture sector to American companies. However, India has rejected these demands and continued to buy oil from Russia and decided to protect its markets. Trump first imposed 25% and then 50% tariffs, but India refused to bow down to these threats.

Credit for ceasefire: Trump has claimed several times that he established peace between India and Pakistan and prevented the war from reaching a nuclear level. Pakistan supported this claim, but India did not give Trump any credit in this matter. This is a big reason for Trump's displeasure.

Ignoring the Nobel Prize: Trump aspires to get the Nobel Peace Prize and claims that he resolved conflicts like India-Pakistan, Israel-Iran, and Azerbaijan-Armenia. Many countries also nominated him for the Nobel, but India did not take any step in this direction, which has further increased Trump's disappointment.

India's strategy on the global stage

India's strategy is not only to respond to Trump, but also to strengthen its position on the global stage. Growing closeness with Russia and China, active participation in forums like SCO, and coordination with BRICS countries reflect India's independent foreign policy. India has made it clear that it will not bow down to the pressure of any country and will give priority to its national interests.

China has also responded strongly to Trump's tariff threats, saying its trade with Russia is "legitimate and legal". This shows that India and China, despite historical differences, are uniting against US pressure. The possible return of the Russia-India-China (RIC) framework could create a new equation in global geopolitics, which could prove to be a major blow to Trump's policies.