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Casablanca – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit China this weekend for the first time in seven years, in a trip that will see him meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as New Delhi’s relations with Washington take a sharp downturn.
Modi’s four-day tour, which also included a stop in Japan, comes just days after the United States doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50%, targeting roughly $60 billion worth of goods.
The move has shaken years of growing strategic cooperation between Delhi and Washington, which had been built on shared security concerns over Beijing’s influence.
“Indian trust in the US is shattered,” said South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman, noting that Washington may have underestimated the fallout of the tariff hike.
The timing of Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit plays directly into Beijing’s hands, analysts say, as China seeks to stabilize ties with India while Washington’s relations with New Delhi sour.
For Russia, the gathering provides an opportunity to reaffirm its longstanding partnership with India, particularly in energy and defense.
Read also: Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on Indian Exports Over Russian Oil
Washington has justified the tariff hike by citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of helping finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine. US trade adviser Peter Navarro went as far as labelling India “an oil laundromat for the Kremlin.”
India, however, has defended its Russian energy imports as essential to keeping domestic fuel prices stable and within the bounds of international law. Modi has resisted directly condemning Moscow while calling for peace in Ukraine.
The economic impact of the tariffs is considerable: the US is India’s top export destination, accounting for $86.5 billion annually, two-thirds of which is not subject to new duties. Sectors such as textiles, jewelry, and other labor-intensive industries are expected to be hit hardest.
For Moscow, Modi’s presence alongside Putin and Xi is a timely reminder of India’s enduring ties with Russia, particularly in energy cooperation and defense procurement.
For New Delhi, the dual outreach to Tokyo and Beijing signals a deliberate effort to diversify economic partnerships and cushion the blow from the loss of US market access.
