Sushant Sareen Says ‘India-US Story Is Over’ After Trump Lowers Tariffs on China

Strategic affairs analyst Sushant Sareen has sharply criticised the latest US-China trade developments, declaring that the India-US strategic partnership is effectively “over.” His remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced a 10% reduction in tariffs on Chinese goods, following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan.

Sareen, known for his candid assessments, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, accusing Trump of “deliberately and consciously” dismantling the India-US relationship. “What will it take for us to wake up to the fact that the US-India relationship is over? We are so taken in by Trump’s fake praises and superlatives that we are missing the fact that there is no strategic relationship left,” he wrote. Sareen added that only parts of the economic relationship might be salvageable, advising India to “move on” instead of hoping for a revival of ties.

His post came hours after Trump and Xi concluded talks aimed at easing trade tensions and stabilising supply chains. The meeting led to the reduction of tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%. Trump said several “very important” decisions were made, including China’s resumption of soybean purchases, cooperation on curbing fentanyl exports, and resolving the rare earth minerals dispute—critical for US technology and defence industries.

Trump hailed the discussions as “a twelve on a scale of ten,” calling Xi a “great leader” and confirming reciprocal visits, with Trump set to visit China in April. Notably, Taiwan—a frequent flashpoint—was not discussed during the meeting.

The trade thaw with Beijing, while welcomed by global markets, has reignited concerns in India about Washington’s shifting priorities, with analysts like Sareen warning that New Delhi may no longer occupy the strategic space it once held in US foreign policy.