Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:56am on 02 Sep 2025,Tuesday India Global
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized India as a "bad actor" for purchasing Russian oil while expressing confidence in resolving bilateral tensions. Despite concerns over PM Modi's SCO summit participation with Putin and Xi Jinping, Bessent dismissed the meeting as "largely performative." He argued India's discounted Russian crude imports and refined product resales effectively finance Moscow's Ukraine war effort. While acknowledging shared democratic values and optimism that "two great countries will get this solved," Bessent stressed slow trade negotiations justified Washington's tariff hikes. Trump separately claimed India offered zero tariffs after imposing 50% duties, calling the relationship a "totally one-sided disaster" due to India's historically high tariffs preventing American businesses from accessing Indian markets. (PC: Hindustan Times)
