Former Trump advisor John Bolton on Trump: ‘Disastrous Tariff Policy’ Has ‘Shredded’ Decades of Efforts on India

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has strongly criticised President Donald Trump’s trade measures, claiming they have undermined years of strategic work by Washington and its allies to align India with the West.

“The West has spent decades trying to wean India away from its Cold War attachment to the Soviet Union/ Russia, and cautioning India on the threat posed by China. Donald Trump has shredded decades of efforts with his disastrous tariff policy,” Bolton wrote on X on Monday.

Bolton further argued that Trump’s narrow economic focus had jeopardised long-term US interests in Asia. “Donald Trump’s unwillingness to consider diplomatic moves in a larger strategic context has given Xi Jinping an opportunity to reset the East,” he added.

US Tariffs Heighten Strain on India
New Delhi is grappling with significant economic pressure following Washington’s decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, which was later increased by another 25 per cent. The Biden administration stated that the hike was in response to India’s increasing crude oil purchases from Russia.

The move has sparked concerns among Indian exporters, with industries ranging from textiles to pharmaceuticals bracing for disruption in the US market. Analysts also warn that the tariffs risk pushing India to strengthen its ties with Moscow and Beijing.

Modi Meets Putin and Xi at SCO Summit
Bolton’s comments came just after the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council summit in Tianjin, China. On the sidelines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Modi and Xi agreed that India and China’s economies play a stabilising role in global trade, underlining the importance of cooperation amid economic uncertainties.

During his meeting with Putin, Modi reaffirmed the strength of the India-Russia partnership, stating: “Both nations have always stood shoulder to shoulder, even in the most challenging situations.”

Putin, in turn, hailed the historic ties, noting that 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the India-Russia ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.’

Strategic Stakes in the Balance
Bolton’s intervention underscores the broader concern that Washington’s tariff-first approach risks undoing years of delicate diplomacy. As India deepens economic and security engagement with both Russia and China, the US may find its influence in Asia diminished, a development Bolton argues could reshape the region’s balance of power.

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(With Inputs From ANI)