US Commerce Secretary Says India Will Return to Talks with Trump ‘Within Months’

US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday said India is likely to re-engage in negotiations with President Donald Trump in the coming months, describing New Delhi as the “vowel” between Russia and China in the BRICS grouping.

“I think in a month or two, India is going to be at the table, and they’re going to say they’re sorry, and they’re going to try to make a deal with Donald Trump,” Lutnick told Bloomberg. “And it will be on Trump’s desk how he wants to deal with (Narendra) Modi. That’s why he’s the President.”

His remarks came hours after Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump attached an old photo of Modi walking with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a BRICS summit.

Lutnick warned that India must choose between supporting the US and aligning with Moscow and Beijing. “They’re the vowel between Russia and China in BRICS. If that’s who you want to be, go be it,” he said.

He added: “Either support the dollar, support the United States of America, support your biggest client — the American consumer — or you’re going to pay a 50% tariff. And let’s see how long this lasts.”

Calling the US “the world’s biggest customer,” Lutnick argued that countries like India and China ultimately rely on the American market. “We are the consumer of the world… eventually they all have to come back to the customer, because the customer is always right,” he said.

Reiterating Trump’s criticism of Indian energy policy, Lutnick noted: “Before the Russian conflict, India bought less than 2% of its oil from Russia, and now they’re buying 40%.” He predicted that domestic pressure from businesses would eventually force New Delhi to compromise. “It’s all bravado… but eventually your businesses are going to say, stop this and go make a deal with America.”

India has defended its purchases of discounted Russian crude as driven by energy security and market dynamics after sanctions on Moscow in 2022. Officials maintain that policy is guided by national interest, not geopolitical alignments.

Bilateral trade relations have worsened under Trump’s steep tariffs — among the harshest imposed by any US administration. A planned visit by US trade officials to New Delhi was cancelled last month, and negotiations on a deal to ease the tariff burden remain stalled. Industry estimates suggest nearly 55% of Indian exports to the US, worth about $48 billion, now face a cost disadvantage compared to competitors from Vietnam, China and Bangladesh.