Washington: Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has strongly criticized former US President Donald Trump for undermining decades of US diplomatic efforts with India. Bolton accused Trump of pushing Prime Minister Narendra Modi closer to Russia and China through his steep tariff policies, which included a 50 per cent duty on Indian imports, followed by an additional 25 per cent due to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

In a series of posts on X, Bolton argued that Trump’s approach has “shredded” decades of Western efforts aimed at reducing India’s dependence on Moscow while addressing the growing threat from Beijing. He stated, “The White House has set US-India relations back decades, pushing Modi closer to Russia and China. Beijing has cast itself as an alternative to the US and Donald Trump.”

Bolton further noted that Trump’s unwillingness to view trade and tariffs in a larger strategic context has given Chinese President Xi Jinping an opportunity to reset the balance of power in Asia. “The West has spent decades trying to wean India away from its Cold War attachment to the Soviet Union/Russia and warning India of the threat posed by China. Donald Trump has shredded these efforts with his disastrous tariff policy,” Bolton said.

His comments come amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty as India navigates economic tensions triggered by US tariffs, while also maintaining strong ties with both Russia and China. At the recent 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, Prime Minister Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines.

During his meeting with Xi, both leaders acknowledged the stabilizing role of India and China’s economies in global trade. Meanwhile, Modi reaffirmed India’s long-standing partnership with Russia during talks with Putin, highlighting the 15th anniversary of the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” Putin, in turn, praised the resilience of India-Russia ties, noting that both countries have stood together even in the most challenging times.

John Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser between 2018 and 2019 before resigning over foreign policy disagreements, continues to be a vocal critic of Trump’s approach to international relations. His latest remarks highlight growing concerns in Washington over the impact of Trump’s policies on the US-India strategic partnership.