U.S. President Donald Trump declared Friday that India and Russia appear to have aligned with China after their leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote on social media, posting a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Vladimir Putin, and Xi standing side by side.
India’s foreign ministry declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. Beijing and Moscow have also not responded.
Trump’s post underscores the widening gulf between Washington and New Delhi amid intensifying trade disputes. The U.S. administration recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods, with some duties reaching 50 per cent, partly in retaliation for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
In response, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a relief package for exporters hit hardest by the tariffs. The measures are expected to include credit guarantees on overdue loans for small businesses and exporters. Labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, jewellery, footwear, seafood, and chemicals have been particularly affected, with manufacturers in Tiruppur, Noida, and Surat already halting production.
“Textiles and apparel manufacturers… have halted production amid worsening cost competitiveness,” said SC Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. Nearly 55 per cent of Indian exports to the U.S., worth an estimated $48 billion, now face steep disadvantages compared to rivals from Vietnam, China, and Bangladesh. Exporters warn of mounting job losses in hubs across Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Despite the tariffs, Sitharaman reaffirmed India’s commitment to sourcing Russian oil, stressing it was essential for economic stability. “Whether it is Russian oil or anything else, it’s our decision to buy from the place which suits our needs,” she said, citing cost and logistics as key factors.
The SCO summit, attended by over 20 non-Western leaders, highlighted Beijing’s growing influence as Modi and Putin visibly warmed ties with Xi. For Trump, the optics reinforce his claim that U.S. strategic ground is slipping in Asia, even as his administration pursues an aggressive tariff agenda.