Former US National Security Adviser Flags ‘Enormous Mistake’ In Trump's India Tariff Policy

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton warned that President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on India risk undermining decades of American diplomacy aimed at moving New Delhi away from Russia and China, reported NDTV.

Bolton criticised Trump for showing “leniency” towards Beijing while imposing over 50 per cent tariffs on India, including a 25 per cent secondary tariff for buying Russian oil.

He said, “Trump’s leniency on the Chinese and heavy-handed tariffs on India jeopardize decades of American efforts to bring India away from Russia and China.”

Bolton argued that this bias could be an “enormous mistake,” as the tariffs have already triggered a “very negative” reaction in India, especially since China faces no similar penalties.

Trump had launched a limited trade war with China in April but paused further escalation pending a deal, while pressing India harder.

Bolton noted the irony that the secondary tariff, meant to hurt Russia, could instead drive India closer to Moscow and Beijing, potentially aligning them in negotiations against Washington.

US trade expert Christopher Padilla echoed Bolton’s concerns, warning the tariffs could cause lasting damage to India-US ties and raise doubts over America’s reliability as a partner.

In an Op-Ed for The Hill, Bolton cautioned that “The White House seems headed toward more lenient treatment for Beijing… than it imposed on New Delhi,” calling this a “potentially enormous mistake.”

India has refused to halt Russian oil imports, calling the tariffs “unfair and unreasonable.” Moscow has defended India and accused the US of exerting illegal trade pressure just days before Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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