Is Putin holding the cards while Trump just dances to his tunes? Are China and India also playing along?

The editorial analyzes how Trump’s aggressive trade policies push India, China, and Russia closer, despite tensions. It examines tariff wars, geopolitical maneuvering, and the potential revival of the Russia-India-China trilateral alliance as a counterbalance to U.S. dominance.

New Delhi: India and China may be at loggerheads on a lot of issues, but Trump has definitely compelled both nations to work against the US because of his pompous and narcissistic nature. In this editorial, we talk about the things that Russia, China, and India are doing behind the doors to corner Donald Trump, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

'Bad Cop, Good Cop'

Have you thought about why Donald Trump plays the character of a paradoxical world leader globally? How perfectly he plays the role of a good and bad cop simultaneously? See, he knows what he is doing. He knew that if he abruptly put countries under pressure by levying heavy taxes, he could crack a deal with them on his own terms.

He pulled off a trade war in his previous term too, but his advisers told him that it could be internecine if he continued to do so. But now, U.S. President Donald Trump is in no rush to end the tariffs. He and his team are in talks with most of the countries, including China.

And his advisers no longer have the influence that those in his first term were allowed to wield. Trump 2.0 is much more confident, unencumbered by inhibitions, and believes that in the next few weeks, the USA can materialize a deal—even with China. The circumstances are different now.

Playing with India and China

While Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on China, he has intermittently put them off for India. But here is the catch: he, along with European nations, threatens India to stop purchasing oil from Russia, and if India continues to do so, NATO will put a 100% tariff on India. On the sidelines of the G7 summit, he urged the inclusion of China in the group as well.

He clearly states the geopolitical reality: 'In geopolitics, you have no permanent friends or enemies—only permanent interests.' However, his actions are not just tarnishing his global image but also explicitly damaging ties the U.S ties with its close allies.

Putin: The Impact Player

India has witnessed an unprecedented trend of surging exports to the US alongside increasing imports from China. Analysts suggest China may be rerouting its exports to the US through India to avoid tariffs imposed by the US.

Putin also wants to revive the Russia–India–China (RIC) trilateral dialogue that emerged in the late 1990s, rooted in former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov’s vision of a trilateral Eurasian power bloc to balance Western dominance.

India, China, and Russia will soon hold a trilateral meeting. Hinting at this, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “This is a platform where the three countries discuss global and regional issues. Once the meeting is finalized, we will determine a mutually convenient date and share the details.”

The Roadblocks

China perceives India as a strategic competitor and seeks to limit its rise on the global stage. The country views India's growth as challenging its regional dominance. Unable to confront India directly through conventional warfare, China has strategically aligned with Pakistan to counterbalance India's influence.