Washington– U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest criticism of India’s trade practices has drawn renewed attention in American media, with analysts suggesting that his tariff strategy may be backfiring.
The Wall Street Journal, in a report headlined “Trump Hiked Tariffs on India as a Penalty for It Buying Russian Oil. Why Is That Backfiring?”, examined the effects of the measures on India’s energy imports.
Analyst Carol Ryan noted that while the higher tariffs initially “spooked” Indian refiners into reducing purchases of Russian crude in favor of Middle Eastern supplies, Moscow quickly responded by lowering prices to retain its Indian buyers. “New Delhi also gave the green light for the purchases to continue, so flows are returning to normal,” she wrote.
“The unintended effect of the U.S. crackdown has therefore been to make Russia’s already discounted oil even cheaper for India. As of Friday, a barrel of Urals costs India $1 less than it did before the White House first threatened the higher tariff,” Ryan added.
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, speaking to journalist Megyn Kelly on her podcast “The Megyn Kelly Show,” targeted White House senior advisor Peter Navarro over the decision. “If you do the opposite of what Peter Navarro is saying, then you’re going to do well,” Shapiro said.
On the 50 percent tariffs imposed on Indian goods, Shapiro argued that Washington had offered “a lot of sticks and not enough carrots.” While he downplayed the importance of trade ties with India for the United States, he warned that New Delhi’s strategic weight cannot be overlooked.
“We do more military exercises with India than we do with NATO. If you see them move into China’s camp, then that will upend the geopolitical order,” he cautioned.
Separately, The Economist highlighted India’s participation in the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in China, describing the event as “Xi Jinping’s anti-American party.” The magazine called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance “most striking,” suggesting it underscored “India’s shift from America towards China.” (Source: IANS)
