Top Trump aide calls India 'bad actor,' SCO Summit 'performative'
What's the story
United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unleashed a verbal attack on India, China, and Russia, branding them as "bad actors" for allegedly funding Moscow's war in Ukraine. Bessent also downplayed the importance of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "This is a longstanding meeting, it's called the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and I think it's largely performative," Bessent said during an interview with Fox News.
Summit skepticism
2 great countries will get this solved: Bessent
When asked about the trajectory of relations with New Delhi, Bessent acknowledged the challenges but stated that cooperation remained vital. "At the end of the day, India is the most populous democracy...Their values are much closer to ours and to China's than to Russia's," he said. "Two great countries will get this solved. But the Indians have not been great actors in terms of buying Russian oil and then reselling it, financing the Russian war effort in Ukraine."
Sanctions consideration
All options on table for possible sanctions against Russia
Bessent cited poor progress in trade discussions as a major reason for Washington's decision to increase tariffs on Indian imports. Trump claimed that India had proposed to reduce its tariffs to zero but said it was "getting late" for such a move. The US Treasury Secretary also said all options are on the table for possible sanctions against Russia due to its ongoing attacks on Ukraine.
Tariffs imposed
US has imposed tariffs on Indian goods in response
In response to India's energy trade with Russia, the US has imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods. Another 25% was added after India refused to cut oil trade with Russia, taking the total duty to 50%. In May, India had reportedly proposed a "zero-for-zero" tariff deal on steel, auto components, and pharmaceuticals on a reciprocal basis. However, no trade agreement was reached between New Delhi and Washington.