The BRICS TimesBessent says India, the world’s largest democracy, shares values closer to the US and China than Russia.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday expressed confidence that Washington and New Delhi will ultimately find common ground despite fresh tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
Speaking to Fox News against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Bessent dismissed the trilateral show of unity as “largely performative.” He remarked, “At the end of the day, India is the most populous democracy in the world. Their values are much closer to ours — and to China’s — than to Russia’s. Two great countries will get this solved.”
However, Bessent also criticized India’s energy trade with Russia, accusing it of indirectly supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine. “The Indians have not been great actors when it comes to buying Russian oil, reselling it, and thereby financing the Russian war effort,” he said, adding that sluggish progress in US-India trade negotiations contributed to the White House’s decision to raise tariffs.
His remarks came soon after President Donald Trump described trade with India as a “one-sided disaster,” citing high tariffs and limited American exports. In a Truth Social post, Trump argued that while India benefits enormously from access to US markets, American businesses struggle to enter India because of its steep duties. He added, “They have now offered to cut tariffs to zero, but it’s getting late. They should have done so years ago.”
The tensions unfolded as Modi’s SCO interactions coincided with Washington’s decision to impose 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. Trump also pointed out India’s heavy reliance on Russian oil and military imports, contrasting it with minimal purchases from the US.
On broader foreign policy, Bessent signaled that further sanctions against Russia remain under consideration as Moscow continues air strikes on Ukraine. “With President Trump, all options are on the table,” he said, criticizing Putin for intensifying attacks despite earlier peace discussions.
— with inputs from Fox Business
