Trump Slams India-Russia Ties, Calls Both Economies “Dead” Amid Tariff Spat

In a fiery post on Truth Social Thursday, former US President Donald Trump lashed out at India and Russia, accusing both nations of having “dead economies” and downplaying the importance of US trade ties with either country.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump wrote. “We have done very little business with India. Their tariffs are too high—among the highest in the world.”

The remarks followed Trump’s announcement of a 25% tariff on Indian imports, set to take effect August 1, along with unspecified penalties linked to India’s ongoing trade and defense relationship with Moscow.

Trump also took aim at Russia, mocking former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev:
“Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

His response comes days after Medvedev warned that Trump’s “ultimatum game” toward Russia could push the US into a direct war. “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war,” Medvedev posted on X, adding it would not be with Ukraine, but with the US itself.

Trump’s frustration with Russia also stems from what he described as President Putin’s failure to end the war in Ukraine, stating earlier this week that he was cutting his peace deadline from 50 days to just 10–12.

Markets React to Tariff Threat

Indian stock markets declined sharply Thursday morning after Trump’s tariff declaration.

• Nifty 50 fell 0.61% to 24,703.10

• BSE Sensex dropped 0.64% to 80,963.14 by 9:46 am

• All 16 major sectors opened in the red

• Broader mid-cap and small-cap indices also fell by 0.9% and 0.6%, respectively

Trump’s 25% tariff threat represents a significantly harsher stance toward India compared to other major US trading partners and could derail recent diplomatic and trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington.

Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump noted that talks were ongoing: “The US is still negotiating with India on trade.”