“Should the U.S. fear an emerging India-China-Russia alliance? Following India's participation last week in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China, many pundits and politicians are concerned about this prospect.
Images of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked worries of the three countries joining hands. Such images "should send a chill down the spine of every American," said CNN political commentator Van Jones. "It is a dagger pointed at the heart of the West."
On PBS, Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg remarked that "Modi seems to have moved himself into the China-Russia camp." President Trump on Friday shared an image of Messrs. Xi, Putin and Modi on Truth Social. "Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China," he wrote.
It's easy to see why a Beijing-Moscow-New Delhi axis would be bad news for Washington. China, Russia and India are the three most important powers on the Eurasian landmass. All three have nuclear weapons. Until Mr. Trump's recent decision to impose a punishing 50% tariff on Indian goods exports to the U.S., New Delhi was seen as one of the most pro-American nations in the 10-member Brics group, which includes China and Russia. For the U.S., pushing the world's most populous nation and its fifth-largest economy into China's arms would be a spectacular mistake.
India's ties with Russia are more complicated. Over the years, India has drastically reduced its arms purchases from Moscow. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that the percentage of Indian arms imports from Russia has declined by more than half over a decade -- from 76% in 2009-13 to 36% in 2019-23.
At the same time, New Delhi remains dependent on Moscow for military spare parts and advanced weapons technology, including missile-defense systems and a co-developed cruise missile. India has dramatically increased its imports of discounted oil from Russia since the 2022 events in Ukraine, one reason the U.S. imposed such a high tariff on India. Many Indians view Russia as a trusted partner.
Mr. Trump's tariffs will have consequences. By hurting India's economy, Mr. Trump boosts pro-Chinese and pro-Russian voices in India who have long argued that Washington couldn't be trusted.” [1]
The Russians need their arms themselves, to use them in Ukraine. So less is left to buy for India.
1. East is East: Fears of an India-China-Russia Alliance Are Overblown. Dhume, Sadanand. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 11 Sep 2025: A15.
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