Quad Summit: US President cancels visit to India amid Tariff dispute

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called off his planned visit to India for the upcoming Quad Summit in November 2025, according to a report from the New York Times.

This decision highlights growing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over issues such as tariffs and foreign policy.

Earlier this month, President Trump imposed an additional 25per cent tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total additional tariffs imposed since his presidency to 50 per cent.

This move was a response to India’s increased imports of Russian oil, which now accounts for 42 per cent of India’s total oil purchases, compared to less than 1 per cent before the war in Ukraine. In contrast, China’s purchases of Russian oil have risen modestly, from 13 per cent to 16 per cent.

“India is just profiteering. They are reselling,” Bessent said. “What I would call Indian arbitrage – buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product has just sprung up during the war – which is unacceptable,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

India’s Modi says invited for G7 summit in Canada

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, marking his first visit to China since 2018. Before visiting China, PM Modi also concluded a two-day visit to Japan where he and his counter part Shigeru Ishiba agreed on Friday to deepen economic and security ties as New Delhi confronts new US tariffs and Tokyo looks to counter China’s growing influence.

After concluding his visit to Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi leave for China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (#SCO) Summit in #Tianjin. pic.twitter.com/hD2xOK4kFj

— Akash Sharma (@kaidensharmaa) August 30, 2025

“Japan and India should draw on each other’s strengths, help solve each other’s challenges, and even tackle together the issues that future generations will face,” Ishiba said at a joint press announcement with Modi after talks in Tokyo.

The Quad Summit

The Quad Summit in New Delhi, which was set to bring together leaders from the US, Australia, Japan, and India, now faces uncertainty. Trump’s absence raises questions about the future of the Indo-Pacific alliance and the summit’s potential impact.

FS Vikram Misri: #Quad is an important platform for working on and promoting peace, stability, prosperity and development in the Indo-Pacific.
…
I am sure that when two Prime Ministers(India-Japan) meet Quad will be discussed. pic.twitter.com/SusGXevxzv

— Akash Sharma (@kaidensharmaa) August 26, 2025

“This summit is an important platform for working on and promoting peace, stability, prosperity and development in the Indo-Pacific. … I am sure that when two Prime Ministers(India-Japan) meet Quad will be discussed,” the Indian government official Vikram Misr said.