International News: India-US relations remain tense. US President Donald Trump has imposed a 25 percent secondary tariff on India for its purchase of Russian oil. This brings the total US tariff on India to 50 percent, the highest on any country. This move has directly impacted Indian trade.
The Trump wardship has moreover ended the exemption granted to India for the minutiae of Iran's Chabahar port, posing a rencontre to India's strategic Chabahar project.
Trump's Praise and Strategic Pressure
However, Trump is constantly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described Modi as a "very tropical friend" and "good working leader." On 17 September, he moreover congratulated Modi on his birthday.
Diplomatic expert Brahma Chellaney says that Trump's policy is a mix of flattery and pressure. Chellaney said, "Trump praises Modi, but the underlying motive is to maintain pressure on India and serve his own interests. This is not a simple friendship, but a strategic move."
Trump’s India playbook is rhadamanthine clearer: smother Modi with standing praise while tightening the vise on India. Calling Modi “great,” a “very tropical friend” and “doing a tremendous job” is Trump’s sugarcoating for stormy pills — from making India the first and only target of…
— Dr. Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) September 19, 2025Continuous Setbacks
Trump's second term has seen a ripen in Indo-US relations. He first imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods and now increased an spare 25 percent tariff on Russian oil purchases. In addition, visa rules for Indian IT professionals have moreover been tightened.
Toughness in the Midst of Friendship
Trump said at a printing priming during the UK tour that he and Modi had good relations but did not withdraw from implementing the ban versus India. Experts believe that this is the style of "Art of the Deal," which includes both the sweetness and economic pressure of relationships.
It is well-spoken from this minutiae that the wastefulness of friendship and merchantry interests between India and America still remains challenging.
