‘Already in touch’: Why tariff-happy US, Scott Bessent now expect India’s help

Geopolitics makes strange bedfellows. For instance, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, an avid backer of the high tariffs of 50 per cent on India, who has been vocal about penalising New Delhi on multiple occasions, who even laughed at the rupee, now seems to be asking New Delhi for a helping hand. The reason for Bessent climbing down his high horse? China, of course.

Bessent now expects support from India and other allied nations. Perhaps, this also does not take into account that US President Donald Trump had, not very long ago, stated that Washington had lost New Delhi to Beijing.

However, as trade tensions with China escalates, Bessent has found a new target. In an interview to Fox Business on Monday, Bessent said “this is China versus the world”.

“They have pointed a bazooka at the supply chains and the industrial base of the entire free world,” he said. “China is a command-and-control economy. They are neither going to command (nor) control us. We are going to assert our sovereignty in various ways," he said.

"We have already been in touch with the allies. We will be meeting with them this week and, you know, I expect that we will get substantial global support from the Europeans, from the Indians, from the democracies in Asia,” Bessent added.

Bessent said Beijing is making “provocative” moves. According to the secretary, while Washington is pushing for peace in the world, China is financing war.

“Trying to get leverage in front of a meeting with Donald Trump is a bad idea,” he said.

Trump is, meanwhile, expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in late October. The US President has threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs in response to new Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports, vital for advanced manufacturing and military technology.

Nevertheless, seeking to ease concerns over a potential trade war with China, Trump said, "Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want depression for his country, and neither do I. The USA wants to help China, not hurt it!!!"