WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called off his planned visit to India for the upcoming Quad Summit in November 2025, according to a report from the New York Times.
This decision highlights growing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over issues such as tariffs and foreign policy.
Earlier this month, President Trump imposed an additional 25per cent tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total additional tariffs imposed since his presidency to 50 per cent.
This move was a response to India’s increased imports of Russian oil, which now accounts for 42 per cent of India’s total oil purchases, compared to less than 1 per cent before the war in Ukraine. In contrast, China’s purchases of Russian oil have risen modestly, from 13 per cent to 16 per cent.
“India is just profiteering. They are reselling,” Bessent said. “What I would call Indian arbitrage – buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product has just sprung up during the war – which is unacceptable,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, marking his first visit to China since 2018.
The Quad Summit
The Quad Summit in New Delhi, which was set to bring together leaders from the US, Australia, Japan, and India, now faces uncertainty. Trump’s absence raises questions about the future of the Indo-Pacific alliance and the summit’s potential impact.