Has Washington Really ‘Lost’ India to China, or Is This Just Another Trump Turnaround?

A month after tensions flared between India and the United States over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, the first signs of a thaw emerged Friday when US President Donald Trump described ties with India as “special” and reassured there was “nothing to worry about.”

In remarks from the Oval Office, Trump struck a conciliatory note despite his earlier decision on August 6 to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as a penalty. “I’ll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, he’s a great Prime Minister,” Trump said. “India and the United States have a special relationship. We just have moments on occasion.”

Responding early Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to “deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate” Trump’s “positive assessment of bilateral ties,” calling the India-US partnership “very positive and forward-looking.” This was Modi’s first direct comment since the US tariff escalation last month.

Ironically, the warming rhetoric followed a sharp chill barely a day earlier when Trump had complained on social media that the US had “lost” India to “deepest, darkest” China after the image of Modi huddling with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit in Tianjin went viral. “May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump quipped.

The tough tone was echoed by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said India had little choice but to return to trade talks and “say sorry.”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, amplifying Modi’s post, downplayed the friction. “Prime Minister Modi attaches enormous importance to our partnership with the United States,” Jaishankar told ANI. “He has always had a very good personal equation with President Trump… We remain engaged with the United States.” Jaishankar will represent India at the UN General Assembly on September 27, with Modi not scheduled to address the General Debate this year.

Even as he offered reassurance, Trump repeated his displeasure over India’s energy ties with Moscow. “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia, and I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff,” he said.

On broader trade negotiations, Trump insisted progress was being made: “They are going great. Other countries are doing great. We’re doing great with all of them. We’re upset with the European Union because of what’s happening with not just Google, but with all of our big companies.”

For now, the India-US equation remains a mix of sharp words and warm reassurances, a policy see-saw that has come to define the Trump White House’s approach to New Delhi.

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