On this special report, India Today examines the escalating diplomatic friction between Washington, Brussels, and New Delhi. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has lashed out at the European Union following the announcement of a major trade framework with India. Bessent stated, ‘The Mrs.5 has made much bigger sacrifices than the Europeans have. We have put 25 percent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.’ He further claimed that by signing this deal, the European Union is effectively ‘funding war against themselves’ by purchasing refined Russian oil products through India. The transcript highlights the ‘mother of all deals’ between India and the EU, which notably excludes agriculture to protect domestic interests. While the US remains fuming over the perceived lack of cooperation in isolating Russia, analysts suggest this move by the EU might nudge the Trump administration to reconsider its own punitive 25 percent tariffs on India to avoid being left behind in the changing global trade order.
