Washington, September 6, 2025: U.S. President Donald Trump raised alarms over the growing ties between India and Russia to China, stating on Truth Social, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China.” This remark, referencing Trump India Russia to China dynamics, followed a high-profile meeting of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, on September 1, 2025.
Trump: India and Russia to China
The Trump India and Russia to China comment comes amid tensions over U.S. tariffs of 50% on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty for India’s Russian oil purchases, imposed to pressure Moscow to end its Ukraine conflict. India has called these tariffs “unjustified,” noting that China and Europe also import Russian energy without similar penalties. The Trump India Russia to China narrative has sparked concerns about a potential anti-U.S. bloc, especially as India strengthens ties with Russia and China.
Modi’s Tianjin visit, his first to China in seven years, was part of the scheduled SCO summit, where he held talks with Xi to normalize relations strained since the 2020 Ladakh border clashes and with Putin to discuss Ukraine and economic ties. These engagements follow a Trump India and Russia to China shift that began at the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024.
Trump’s advisor Peter Navarro accused India of being a “Kremlin oil money laundromat” and “strategic freeloading.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs rejected these claims as “inaccurate.” Despite the rift, India continues trade talks with the U.S. and supports peace efforts in Ukraine, engaging with global leaders. The upcoming Quad summit, hosted by India, faces uncertainty amid these Trump India Russia to China tensions.
