NEW DELHI: Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has criticised Donald Trump’s tariff policy towards India, calling it “inappropriate” and symptomatic of the former president’s “erratic behaviour.” He warned that such measures risk undermining Washington’s strategic ties with New Delhi.
In an interview with ANI, Bolton said Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian goods—linked to oil and weapons purchases from Russia—was inconsistent, as no similar action was taken against larger buyers such as China, or other nations like Turkey and Pakistan. “This shows how erratic Trump could be,” he noted, adding that sanctions on India were neither part of normal trade negotiations nor applied uniformly to others.
Bolton also rejected Trump’s repeated claim that he personally brokered peace between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. India has maintained that the ceasefire resulted from direct DGMO-level talks, not US intervention. “It was inappropriate for Trump to take credit for that,” Bolton remarked.
The former NSA urged New Delhi to adopt a long-term view of relations with Washington, stressing that Trump’s presidency was temporary. “India should treat Trump as a temporary factor… and recognise that his actions do not represent the broader American view,” he said.
Bolton praised India’s restrained response to the tariffs, saying quiet diplomacy and avoiding public confrontation had prevented escalation. He argued that Trump’s style of pressuring even close partners was less a coherent strategy than “a theatrical exercise” aimed at domestic political gain—one that has weakened global confidence in America’s reliability.
Looking ahead, Bolton advised India to focus on safeguarding its national interest, minimising damage during Trump’s tenure, and rebuilding stronger ties once his term ends.
