Why is Donald Trump ardent to destroy the ‘Ache Din’ of India and US relations?

Amid rising trade tensions, Trump imposes 25% tariffs on India, criticizes India-Russia ties, and announces a Pakistan oil deal. The U.S. also sanctions six Indian firms for Iran petrochemical trade, straining bilateral relations. India’s response remains awaited as diplomatic challenges escalate.

New Delhi: After announcing and levying 25 percent tariffs on India, in another gutsy decision, Donald Trump has announced a trade deal with Pakistan. He said that the US will develop massive oil reserves in Pakistan. However, he did not clarify what oil reserves he was referring to.

Solicitous of India-Russia ties

His obstinacy did not stop here; he has further made sharp comments against India and Russia. He made a critical statement against the economies of India and Russia through his post on the social media platform 'Truth Social.'

He said that he does not care what India does to Russia and jokingly said that both these countries should sink with their "dead economies." Apart from this, Trump also expressed displeasure over trade relations with India.

He said that the US has done very little trade with India because India's tariffs are the highest in the world. He described India's trade policies as "difficult and troubling" and said that doing business with India has not been beneficial for the US.

This statement has come at a time when the US has imposed a 25% tariff on India, and India continues its defense and oil trade with Russia. Analysts believe that Trump's statement may be part of his election agenda, in which he is again pushing forward the policy of 'America First.' However, there has been no official response from the Indian government on this statement yet.

US Bans Six Indian Companies

Along with this, the Trump administration has banned six Indian companies, targeting Iran's petrochemical trade. According to the US State Department, these companies were involved in the purchase and sale of Iranian petrochemical products, which provided revenue to Iran to promote terrorism.

Apart from India, sanctions have also been imposed on companies from the UAE, Turkey, and Indonesia. The Indian companies against which action has been taken include Kanchan Polymers, Alchemical Solutions, Ramniklal S. Gosalia & Co., Jupiter Dye Chem Private Limited, Global Industries Chemicals Limited, and Persistent Petrochem Private Limited.

Extirpating US-India ties

These sanctions can affect India-US relations, especially when India has continued to buy oil and weapons from Russia despite pressure from Western countries. Trump's remarks can create a challenging situation for India, as there are already some differences in trade relations with the US.

Now it remains to be seen what strategy the Indian government adopts in this matter and whether the tension between the two countries will increase further or it will be resolved through diplomatic talks.