John Mearsheimer, a prominent American international relations scholar and Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, has described the Trump administration’s India policy as a “colossal blunder,” warning that secondary tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil are unlikely to succeed.
Speaking on the podcast Daniel Davis Deep Dive last week, Mearsheimer said, “This is a colossal blunder on our part. It's hard to believe, but what's going on here? Secondary sanctions won’t work with India. The Indians have made it clear that they will not cut off imports of Russian oil. They are not going to cave.”
Mearsheimer also criticized the former president for damaging what he described as a “terrific” US-India relationship.
“When Trump assumed office this past January, relations between the United States and India were very strong. For the purpose of containing China, which is a key US foreign policy objective, maintaining good relations with India is essential. But with these secondary sanctions, we have poisoned that relationship,” he said.
He further referenced a recent German newspaper report claiming that Trump had attempted to contact Prime Minister Narendra Modi on four separate occasions without success.
“The Indians are furious with us, almost universally. Trump has tried to call Modi four times, and Modi refuses to speak with him. Moreover, Modi is moving closer to China and Russia. This strategy is not only ineffective, but it is also counterproductive,” Mearsheimer added.
He singled out Peter Navarro, the White House Senior Advisor on Trade and Manufacturing, for spearheading a strategy he described as doomed to fail.
“No one is applauding this move except for people like Peter Navarro. I do not see how this has a happy ending. Are we suggesting that India will cave under US pressure? Everything India has done so far indicates that is not the case,” he concluded. (Source: NDTV)
