"Disappointing to hear rhetoric": MP Milind Deora criticises US for risking ties with India

Sep 05, 2025

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 6 : Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora criticised the United States for "rhetoric" risking ties with India amid 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
Sharing an X post on Friday, Deora mentioned that his late father, the former Union Minister Murli Deora, had worked to strengthen India-US ties.
"It's disappointing to hear rhetoric from the US that risks straining ties between two leading democracies. Many, including my late father, worked tirelessly to bring India & the US closer for the benefit of both nations & the world. I truly hope wiser counsel will prevail," the Shiv Sena MP wrote.
His father, Murli Deora, has been the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Corporate Affairs under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Milind Deora's remarks come after US President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods exported to the US. Initially, Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, while later, he imposed another 25 per cent tariff, taking the total to 50 per cent, citing India's continued imports of Russian oil.
The secondary tariff came into force on August 27.
Donald Trump has time and again criticised India for purchasing oil from Russia.
In a recent development, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Donald Trump posted a comment on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that the US has "lost Russia and India to deepest, darkest China."
"Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!" Trump wrote.
Trump wrote this with an old picture of three leaders together, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Meanwhile, Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing for President Trump, has yet again accused India of profiteering from Russian oil in his latest slew of remarks, alongside alleging that India's tariffs cost "Americans' jobs"
In a post on X on Friday (US local time), Navarro made the remarks in response to an article by the Washington Post, which described the conflicting efforts in Trump's administration over mending the relationship with India.
Navarro criticised the report and said, "FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins @washpo Leftist American fake news."