WASHINGTON– John Mearsheimer, one of America’s most prominent voices in international relations and a professor at the University of Chicago, has blasted President Donald Trump’s approach toward India, calling it a “colossal blunder” that risks driving New Delhi closer to Russia and China.
Speaking on the “Daniel Davis Deep Dive” podcast, Mearsheimer argued that Trump’s decision to impose secondary sanctions on India for continuing to import Russian oil was doomed from the start.
“This is a colossal blunder on our part,” Mearsheimer said. “It won’t work with India. The Indians have made it clear they will not cut off oil from Russia. They are not going to cave.”
He added that Trump had squandered what had been a strong U.S.-India partnership. “When Trump moved into the White House this past January, relations between the United States and India were really terrific,” he said. “For the purpose of containing China—our principal foreign policy mission—having good relations with India is essential. But now, with these secondary sanctions, we’ve poisoned the relationship.”
Mearsheimer also cited a German newspaper report claiming Trump had tried to call Prime Minister Narendra Modi four times without success. “The Indians are furious with us, almost across the board,” he said. “Modi refuses to talk to Trump, and he’s moving closer to both the Chinese and the Russians. This is not just ineffective—it’s counterproductive.”
He placed particular blame on Peter Navarro, the White House senior adviser on trade and manufacturing, for steering the policy. “Nobody is applauding this move except people like Peter Navarro,” Mearsheimer said. “I don’t know anyone who thinks India will cave. Everything India has done so far proves that argument wrong.” (Source: IANS)
