Ex-NSA Warns Trump Against Levying Tariffs On India, Says ‘Could Push Delhi Towards…’

Last Updated:August 09, 2025, 13:36 IST

Trump's 50% tariffs on India have raised fears in American analysts that this could push New Delhi towards Moscow and Beijing.

India-US tensions: John Bolton criticises Trump's tariffs on India (AP Image)

Former US Security Advisor John Bolton has issued a warning to Donald Trump over his 50% tariffs on India, stating that even though they are meant to hurt Russia, but they may have an opposite impact, pushing New Delhi closer to Moscow and Beijing.

“Trump’s tariffs against India are intended to hurt Russia but they could push India closer to Russia and to China to oppose these tariffs," John Bolton said in an interview with CNN.

He flagged Trump’s “leniency" on China and “heavy-handed tariffs" on India, cautioning that they could jeopardise decades of American efforts to “bring India away from Russia and China".

In an opinion piece in The Hill, Bolton said that Trump giving a pass to China for the same thing he imposed tariffs on India – for Russian oil purchase – is “an enormous mistake and entirely counterproductive for America".

He said that tariffs on India do not go in line with the US’ long-term geopolitical objectives, as his administration was “levying tariffs on friend and foe alike", which has resulted in loss of trust between New Delhi and Washington.

“Unfortunately, based on international reactions so far, the U.S. by levying tariffs on friend and foe alike has likely suffered a considerable loss of trust and confidence, built up over decades of effort, in exchange for minimal economic gains — if any — and the risk of formidable losses," he wrote.

He said that the Trump administration seems headed towards “more lenient treatment for Beijing on tariff rates and other metrics than it imposed on New Delhi".

He mentioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remark that the deadline for China could be extended beyond August 12 if negotiations were well on track.

He also expressed his apprehension that if China secured a better trade deal with the US, it could lead to resentment in India, whose negotiations were paused by Trump.

“China runs a significantly larger trade surplus with the U.S. than does India. Washington has also long complained about Chinese trade practices, which include stealing intellectual property, unfairly subsidizing its international companies and denying access to China’s domestic market, contrary to repeated commitments," Bolton said.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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