US Treasury Secretary Calls SCO ‘Performative,’ Says US And India Will Resolve Trade Rift

Last Updated:September 02, 2025, 08:04 IST

Bessent also pointed to slow-moving trade talks between Washington and New Delhi as an added factor in the Trump administration’s decision to raise tariffs

File photo of US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent. (AFP)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an interview with President Donald Trump, addressed the state of U.S.-India relations in the wake of new tariffs imposed by Washington. The measures were introduced after India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, which the White House argues is helping to finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

During an interview with Fox, when asked about the trajectory of ties with New Delhi, Bessent acknowledged the strains but said the partnership remained vital. “This is a longstanding meeting, it’s called the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and I think it’s largely performative," Bessent remarked, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the ongoing summit in Tianjin.

“At the end of the day, India is the most populous democracy in the world. Their values are much closer to ours and to China’s than to Russia’s," he said. “Two great countries will get this solved. But the Indians have not been great actors in terms of buying Russian oil and then reselling it, financing the Russian war effort in Ukraine."

Bessent also pointed to slow-moving trade talks between Washington and New Delhi as an added factor in the Trump administration’s decision to raise tariffs, even as he stressed confidence that the differences could eventually be resolved.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi’s participation at the SCO Summit has drawn global attention as he engages with Putin and Xi on regional cooperation, energy security, and multipolarity. While the meeting has been described as “largely performative" by Bessent, observers note that the optics of India’s balancing act, deepening cooperation with Russia and China even amid strained ties with the US, carry weight in the current geopolitical situation.

Abhro Banerjee

Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ...Read More

Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ...

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September 02, 2025, 08:04 IST

News world US Treasury Secretary Calls SCO ‘Performative,’ Says US And India Will Resolve Trade Rift

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