Tony Abbott Criticises Trump’s India Tariffs: Calls It a Major Mistake

International News: U.S. President Donald Trump, during his second term, damaged relations with several countries, including India, by imposing tariffs. Now, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has also criticized Trump’s decision. He said, “I am a supporter of Trump, but I believe he was wrong to impose tariffs on India, even though other countries are also cheating, like China. But China was not treated the same way.” Notably, Trump imposed a total of 50% tariffs on India, including an extra 25% tariff related to importing oil from Russia.

Criticism of U.S.-Pakistan Relations

Speaking at the World Summit Event, former Australian PM Tony Abbott also criticised the recent closeness between Pakistan and the U.S., stating that America’s interest lies not in Pakistan, but in strengthening friendship with India. He said, “One of the major mistakes the U.S. made during the Cold War was continuously leaning towards Pakistan, while India is a liberal democracy and Pakistan is a military dictatorship.” He added that for the past 20 years, Americans have been trying wisely to correct this.

India’s Rising Role in the 21st Century

Abbott further said, “I think the tariffs are a big shock, but considering India’s fundamental interests and democratic values, I believe this will be a temporary setback, and hopefully, it will be corrected soon.”
The former Australian Prime Minister also stated that the 21st century belongs to India, and the country’s Prime Minister—whether now or several decades later—can assume the role of a leader of the free world alongside the U.S. President.