InternationalCurrent Affairs
Recently, US President Trump imposed a cumulative tariff of up to 50% on India on the grounds that India's continued purchase of Russian oil was tantamount to assisting the Russian army in invading Ukraine, causing the relationship between the US and India to take a sharp turn for the worse. After the military parade in Beijing, Trump even issued a statement saying that India seemed to have been taken away by China. However, later on the 5th, Trump changed his words, saying that he and Indian Prime Minister Modi"will always be friends" and emphasized that there is a "special relationship" between the US and India. Modi publicly praised his friendship with Trump on the 6th and emphasized that the strategic partnership with the US is positive and active.
Al Jazeera pointed out that the relationship between the United States and India has recently been seen by the outside world as going downhill due to India's purchase of Russian oil and weapons and the United States' imposition of large tariffs. Analysts also believe that Narendra Modi's visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is a sign that India is leaning towards Beijing under the pressure of US tariffs.
(Extended Reading: Chinese, Indian, and Russian Leaders Confer on Sidelines of SCO Summit; Putin Reiterates Ukraine's Armistice Conditions)
(Extended Reading: [Video] Surprise Moment at the SCO Summit! Putin is dragged into the venue by Modi – Super Friend; Xi Jinping Chats with Him Using Graphs)
(Extended Reading: Dragon and Elephant Dance Together? Modi's First Visit to China in Seven Years: Sino-Indian Relations May Thaw Under Trump's Pressure)
Therefore, on the 5th, Donald Trump posted a message on the"Truth Social" platform, posting a photo of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Modi entering the SCO summit venue together, and accompanied it with the statement"It looks like we lost India and Russia to the deepest dark China. Wish them a long and prosperous future!" He seemed to be extremely disappointed with this development. However, when answering reporters' questions later that day, Trump changed his words and did not believe that India had chosen to switch sides.
The report pointed out that Trump told reporters,"I don't think we lost India," and pointed out that "I am disappointed that India bought so much Russian oil, and I let them know my thoughts." However, he also emphasized that"Modi and I will always be friends" and that India and the United States "have a special relationship," so "there is nothing to worry about."
In response to Trump's change of attitude, Modi expressed his positive and active friendship with the United States on the 6th through the social platform X. He said that he was"deeply grateful for President Trump's feelings and his positive evaluation of US-India relations" and believed that the two countries "have a very positive, forward-looking and comprehensive global strategic partnership", seemingly intending to ease Trump's pressure.
The report noted that, due to their shared right-wing populist political stances, the friendship between Trump and Modi has remained strong since their first terms. However, after the armed conflict broke out between India and Pakistan in May of this year, Trump's claim that he had brokered a ceasefire angered New Delhi. He then imposed high tariffs on India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which was seen by the outside world as a sign that the relationship was deteriorating. However, after Trump and Modi posted on social media, the situation seems to have turned around.
