Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has criticised Donald Trump for what he termed a “needless” provocation of India, saying the steep tariffs imposed on New Delhi were a “mistake in the bilateral relationship.”

The rebuke follows Trump’s decision to levy some of the highest US tariffs on India — averaging 50%, including a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil. Bolton said the move was “backward” and “damaging” to ties, arguing that China, which also purchases Russian oil, faced no comparable tariffs or secondary sanctions.

“India is the one government to have suffered from Trump’s effort to get a ceasefire in Ukraine,” Bolton told NDTV, adding that repairing trust would take time after such a misstep.

Trump has defended the tariffs, accusing India of helping Moscow prolong the war in Ukraine. On Truth Social, he claimed New Delhi buys “massive amounts” of Russian oil and sells much of it on the open market “for big profits,” showing “no concern” for Ukrainian casualties.

While Trump briefly clashed with Beijing in April, imposing tariffs of up to 145%, he has avoided further escalation with China. India, by contrast, has emerged as the main target of his latest trade offensive.

Bolton also mocked Trump’s diplomatic approach toward Pakistan, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir seemed to be “figuring out a better way to play Trump.” With biting sarcasm, he added, “My only suggestion to PM Modi is he could offer to nominate Trump twice for a Nobel Peace Prize.”

In June, Islamabad announced plans to formally recommend Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” in the recent India-Pakistan conflict — a declaration that quickly gained traction on social media.

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has criticised Donald Trump for what he termed a “needless” provocation of India, saying the steep tariffs imposed on New Delhi were a “mistake in the bilateral relationship.”

The rebuke follows Trump’s decision to levy some of the highest US tariffs on India — averaging 50%, including a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil. Bolton said the move was “backward” and “damaging” to ties, arguing that China, which also purchases Russian oil, faced no comparable tariffs or secondary sanctions.

“India is the one government to have suffered from Trump’s effort to get a ceasefire in Ukraine,” Bolton told NDTV, adding that repairing trust would take time after such a misstep.

Trump has defended the tariffs, accusing India of helping Moscow prolong the war in Ukraine. On Truth Social, he claimed New Delhi buys “massive amounts” of Russian oil and sells much of it on the open market “for big profits,” showing “no concern” for Ukrainian casualties.

While Trump briefly clashed with Beijing in April, imposing tariffs of up to 145%, he has avoided further escalation with China. India, by contrast, has emerged as the main target of his latest trade offensive.

Bolton also mocked Trump’s diplomatic approach toward Pakistan, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir seemed to be “figuring out a better way to play Trump.” With biting sarcasm, he added, “My only suggestion to PM Modi is he could offer to nominate Trump twice for a Nobel Peace Prize.”

In June, Islamabad announced plans to formally recommend Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” in the recent India-Pakistan conflict — a declaration that quickly gained traction on social media.