'Taking It Personally': Expert Points To Op Sindoor Ceasefire Row Amid Trump's Tariff Tantrums

Last Updated:August 07, 2025, 09:10 IST

Michael Kugelman was referring to India’s repeated denial that the US President had a role to play in the ceasefire with Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. (AP Photo)

US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs on India over the country’s continued purchase of oil from Russia appear to be driven less by economic rationale and more by personal grievance, Washington DC-based South Asia analyst and foreign affairs expert Michael Kugelman has said, calling it the “worst crisis" that the relationship has faced over the last two decades.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre, said the censure of India seemed to stem from Trump taking India’s firm and independent stance as a personal affront. Asked why the US President was not punishing China, but targeting India, Kugelman said: “…China has not stood out there and refused to let President Trump take credit for his role in the ceasefire. China has not had its leader have a long conversation with Trump on the phone and essentially dictate to him what’s right and what’s wrong. These are things that happened with India. So, I think that’s why perhaps President Trump would reserve some of his greatest ire on the trade and tariff front for India and for the Indian government. Indeed, it’s a double standard. It’s hypocritical, whatever you want to say…"

Kugelman was referring to India’s repeated denial that the US President had a role to play in the ceasefire with Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor—a claim Trump has repeated on several occasions, attributing the end of hostilities to trade offers made by America.

While India, including foreign affairs minister S Jaishankar, had in the past too denied any external mediation in the ceasefire, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion in Parliament during a special discussion on Operation Sindoor that seemed to seal the deal. “We had said from day one that our action was non-escalatory. No leader in the world asked us to stop Operation Sindoor," the prime minister said, puncturing Trump’s narrative.

Kugelman’s observations, however, did not sit well with former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, who questioned why PM Modi could not call out Trump’s lies despite the US President’s fallacious claims.

Taking to X, Sibal wrote: ‘Why play the charade of giving false credit for a ceasefire based on trade threats and one announced over the head of India’s leader, creating thereby impression India was pressured to agree? Trump can keep assailing India as a tariff king, threaten tariffs, talk of his interest in mediating the Kashmir issue but Modi dare not tell him what’s right and what’s wrong? India has sovereign interests which it has to defend."

Sibal also shifted focus to China’s stand on the US and the hypocrisy displayed by Trump. “Chinese spokespersons day in and day out speak disparagingly of the US, talk down at it, express defiance. Yet, Trump is delaying imposing tariffs on China."

TRUMP’s CHINA STAND

After his decision to levy additional 25 per cent tariffs on India—and warning of potential secondary sanctions—Trump, when asked about a similar stand against China, said: “Could happen. Depends on how we do. Could happen."

Trump’s fellow Republican Party leader Nikki Haley had on Tuesday urged against a “pass to China" as she backed India and called the country a strong ally for the United States. “India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India," Haley wrote on X.

Russia is China’s top source of crude imports, supplying a record high 108.5 million tonnes, or 19.6 per cent of its total imports, last year, the South China Morning Post reported.

In a press conference earlier, Guo Jiakun, spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said “China will take energy supply measures … based on national interests", while “tariff wars have no winners".

INDIA HITS BACK

Trump’s Wednesday order imposing additional 25 per cent tariffs on all Indian goods entering the US comes over and above the 25 per cent tariff announced last week. The US President had also threatened to impose penalties, citing India’s purchase of energy and military equipment from Russia.

The additional 25 per cent will take effect on August 27, putting Indian exporters at a significant disadvantage compared to countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam, which face tariffs of 19–20 per cent, industry experts said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called out the US President’s decision as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable", declaring that New Delhi will take “all actions necessary to protect its national interests."

“The United States has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position… our imports are based on market factors and aimed at ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion Indians," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

“It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest," he added. “We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable. India will take all necessary steps to protect its national interests."

News world 'Taking It Personally': Expert Points To Op Sindoor Ceasefire Row Amid Trump's Tariff Tantrums

Read More