US President Donald Trump on Friday declared that India and Russia appear to have been “lost” to China after their participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin this week.
Trump’s Reaction to SCO Summit
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping standing together at the summit.
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote.
The remark came days after world leaders gathered for the SCO summit, which was widely seen as a symbolic show of unity among China, Russia, India, and other member states. Experts noted that the gathering sent a clear message of defiance against Washington’s recent economic measures — particularly the steep tariffs imposed on India.
Trump’s Criticism of India-US Trade Relations
Earlier in the week, Trump had lashed out at New Delhi, calling the US-India relationship a “one-sided disaster.”
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us,” Trump wrote.
“In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest ‘client,’ but we sell them very little… a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
Washington recently imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports — the highest among its trading partners — blaming New Delhi’s continued oil purchases from Russia. The tariffs took effect on August 27, 2025.
Former US Officials Criticize Trump
Several former US officials have criticized Trump’s approach, arguing that his aggressive tariff policies are backfiring and driving India closer to China.
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John Bolton, former US National Security Adviser, said the “once-strong personal rapport” between Modi and Trump has eroded, setting bilateral ties back by decades.
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Jake Sullivan, another former NSA, said Trump’s “massive trade offensive” left India with no choice but to “sit with China.”
“China has moved ahead of the United States in popularity in a whole lot of countries. That was not the case one year ago,” Sullivan said, adding that “the US brand is in the toilet” while China is increasingly viewed as a “responsible player.”
Geopolitical Implications
Analysts say the SCO summit and Trump’s remarks could signal a major geopolitical realignment, as India — traditionally a key US partner in Asia — explores closer ties with China and Russia amid growing trade friction with Washington.
