India-US relations have entered a tense phase after Washington doubled tariffs on many Indian goods to an effective 50 percent in late August 2025 over New Delhi’s continued purchases of discounted Russian crude, prompting sharp political reactions and warnings of strategic fallout from veteran US figures and industry leaders. Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton argued this tariff push has set ties “back decades,” eroding Donald Trump’s earlier personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and nudging India toward closer tactical outreach to Russia and China around the Tianjin SCO summit in early September, where Modi, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin were seen together. Trump amplified criticism on September 4–5, posting that the US had “lost India and Russia to China,” as India’s refiners, significant buyers of Russian oil since 2022, continue citing market realities and strategic autonomy. USISPF’s Mukesh Aghi said “trust has broken,” calling the additional 25 percent oil-linked tariff “uncalled for,” while noting corporate America’s continued interest and urging an off-ramp in the coming months to protect millions of jobs at risk from the tariff shock.