By Khabar Rojana 
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed the significance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he remained hopeful that the United States and India could work through their current trade disagreements. The statement comes just hours after President Donald Trump said India had agreed to lower its trade tariffs to zero. At the same time, Bessent hit out at India’s ongoing oil imports from Russia, warning that the purchases could be helping to fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
India’s SCO meet with Russia & China not a major concern, says Bessent
Speaking to Fox News, Bessent downplayed the significance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. “This was a routine meeting, and I think it’s mostly symbolic,” Bessent said. He added that India, as the world’s largest democracy, shares more values with the US and its allies than with Russia.
US at it again
Despite his optimism about US-India ties, Bessent expressed concern over India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude oil. He noted that India is also refining that oil and reselling it, which he believes indirectly supports Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine. “In this case, India hasn’t been acting responsibly. Buying Russian oil and profiting from it is essentially helping to fund the war,” he said.
“This is a longstanding meeting, it’s called the Shanhai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and I think it’s largely performative,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, India is the most populous democracy in the world. Their values are much closer to ours and to China’s than to Russia’s.” He added, “And look, these are bad actors … India is fuelling the Russian war machine, China is fuelling the Russian war machine… I think at a point we and the allies are going to step up.”
Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration over the trade imbalance between the two countries. He called the situation a “one-sided disaster,” accusing India of maintaining high tariffs that prevent American goods from entering the Indian market. According to Trump, India benefits greatly from exports to the US, but American companies struggle to do business in India due to these barriers.
US slaps higher tariffs on Indian goods
In response, the US has imposed a 25% tariff on Indian products. Another 25% was added after India declined to reduce oil imports from Russia, bringing total duties to 50%. Bessent explained that slow progress in trade talks contributed to Washington’s decision to increase tariffs.
More sanctions on Russia still possible
The Treasury Secretary also said the US is reviewing additional measures against Russia as its invasion of Ukraine intensifies. “Everything is being considered,” Bessent said, blaming Russian President Putin for escalating the conflict despite recent discussions on peace. Despite ongoing disagreements particularly over trade and energy US officials say there is still a strong foundation for cooperation between Washington and New Delhi.
Shalu Shalu