Washington/Beijing, September 5: US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that India and Russia have been “lost to deepest, darkest China,” signalling what critics called a new low in India-US relations.
Trump posted a photograph of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ summit in Beijing earlier this week. Alongside the image, he wrote, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together.”
The post sparked reactions in diplomatic circles. Responding to queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have no comments to offer. This partnership has developed through several transitions. As I said before, we remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to, and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interest.”
Trump has recently engaged in diplomatic talks with Putin, meeting the Russian leader in Alaska on August 15 in an attempt to broker peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Analysts noted that his latest remarks come amid heightened global attention on India’s growing ties with China and its position within the SCO framework.
Observers said the post reflects Trump’s outspoken approach to international relations, which often bypasses conventional diplomatic channels, and could influence perceptions of US-India ties.
