US-India relations have plunged to a new low after President Donald Trump canceled his planned visit to New Delhi for the upcoming Quad Summit, The New York Times reported.
The move highlights growing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over issues like trade, tariffs, and foreign policy.
The New York Times cited sources saying that although President Trump had previously assured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his participation in the November summit, officials familiar with his schedule have confirmed that he will no longer be visiting India this fall.
The White House has yet to release an official statement on the matter, and Indian officials have kept silent, further fueling speculation about the worsening ties.
Central to the discord are Washington’s high tariffs on Indian exports, impacting industries valued at more than $48 billion, including textiles, leather, and food products. Additionally, Trump’s administration imposed a 25% tariff on India’s imports of Russian oil, a move that many analysts believe was more punitive than strategic.
Experts note that this tariff seemed to target India specifically, rather than applying broader sanctions to all buyers of Russian oil, raising questions about the motives behind the decision.
Tensions also stem from Trump’s repeated claims of having “solved” the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May. New Delhi quickly rejected these assertions, clarifying that the ceasefire was a result of a direct agreement between the two countries, without any US involvement.
In a tense phone conversation on June 17, Trump once again suggested to Modi that Pakistan might nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, subtly urging India to do the same. Modi, reportedly frustrated, reiterated that the US played no role in the ceasefire negotiations.
The Quad Summit, which was set to bring together leaders from the US, Australia, Japan, and India, now faces uncertainty following Trump’s withdrawal. This raises questions about the future of the Indo-Pacific alliance and the strength of US-India cooperation.
Despite these strained relations, the US has invited Modi for a visit. However, reports suggest the Indian prime minister has declined both the Washington trip and a meeting with Trump at the G7 Summit in Canada earlier this year.
