US President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that India and Russia appear to have been “lost” to China after their leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, underscoring his growing estrangement from New Delhi and Moscow as Beijing works to consolidate a new global order.
“Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote in a social media post, sharing a photograph of the three leaders together at Xi’s summit in China. The comment highlighted Washington’s unease as Beijing continues to position itself as a central player among non-Western nations.
When asked about Trump’s remarks, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson in New Delhi declined to offer a response. Officials in Beijing and Moscow were also unavailable for immediate comment on the president’s statement, which he posted on his Truth Social platform.
The remarks came as Xi hosted over 20 leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. Among the most prominent attendees were Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A widely shared moment from the gathering showed Putin and Modi walking hand in hand toward Xi, before the three leaders stood together for a photo opportunity—an image symbolic of the growing cooperation between the trio.
Trump’s comments follow his recent criticism of Moscow, where he expressed being “very disappointed” in Putin but insisted he was not overly concerned about deepening Russia-China ties.
His latest post, however, marks a notable shift in tone toward India, a country long seen as a crucial partner for Washington in balancing China’s influence. Modi’s engagement with Beijing at the SCO summit suggests a recalibration of regional alignments at a time when U.S. relations with India have cooled due to ongoing trade frictions and policy disagreements.
