Trump Walks Back Harsh Words on India But Rift With Modi Runs Deep

Problems with relationship bigger than differences over oil and tariffs, say analysts

- Bhagyashree Garekar

AUSTIN, Texas - After months of sharp words about India's energy deals with Russia and a jibe over "losing" the South Asian country to China, US President Donald Trump appeared to walk back his acerbic comments.

But the rupture will not be easily healed, say analysts.

"Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China," Mr Trump said on the morning of Sept 5 in a post on Truth Social, accompanied by a picture of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"May they have a long and prosperous future together!" Mr Trump wrote, with a shade of sarcasm. The three leaders were photographed on Sept 1 huddling and trading hugs at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

By late afternoon, Mr Trump seemed to be hedging on his relationship with India, which till now has been seen as a counterweight to China in Asia.

Asked whom he blamed for "losing" India to China during a press conference at which he renamed the US Department of Defence to the Department of War, Mr Trump walked back his words.

"I don't think we have," he said, adding: "I've been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. And I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff."

Asked if he would seek to reset ties, Mr Trump maintained that the US continued to have a "special relationship" with India.

"I'll always be friends with Modi, he's a great prime minister. But I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment," he said. "But India and the US have a special relationship. There's nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion."

Mr Modi quickly seized on the opening. "Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties," he said in a tweet from his X account hours after Mr Trump spoke.