Trump-Xi summit: Tharoor assesses implications for India — NDTV World
In Washington, the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded with an extension of the trade truce between the world’s two largest economies. In an op-ed for NDTV World, Indian parliamentarian and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor writes that the outcome of the meeting is important for New Delhi’s strategic and economic calculations.
According to the author’s account, Washington obtained commitments on agricultural exports and predictable supplies of critical minerals. Beijing, in turn, secured some tariff relief and a pause in the expansion of US export controls on non-sensitive technology sectors. Tharoor also notes that the leaders established preliminary communication channels on artificial intelligence safety and agreed to maintain military dialogue to avoid tactical miscalculations.
India’s concerns
In Tharoor’s view, India’s main concern ahead of contacts between Washington and Beijing is the possibility that the United States and China could divide spheres of influence and discuss regional security without the participation of other states. The author believes that the limited and pragmatic nature of the summit eased such concerns, as the sides did not reach a broad geopolitical consensus.
At the same time, he draws attention to uncertainty surrounding the format of the Quad, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. After the 2024 Quad summit in Delaware, India was to host the next meeting in 2025, but Trump, according to Tharoor, showed no interest in participating. The author adds that there are also no signs in 2026 that such a summit will be scheduled.
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Trade and strategic autonomy
The stabilization of US-China trade relations, in Tharoor’s view, does not eliminate incentives to diversify global supply chains. This could support India’s position in the “China Plus One” strategy, under which companies seek production sites outside China.
At the same time, the pause in the trade confrontation, as the author notes, may reduce the outflow of capital from Chinese manufacturing. He also suggests that tariff relief or exemptions for China could put Indian exports at a disadvantage if New Delhi faces stricter trade restrictions from the United States.
Tharoor believes that more stable relations between Washington and Beijing give India more room for a policy of strategic autonomy, but do not resolve problems on the disputed Himalayan border and in South Asia. He calls on New Delhi to accelerate economic modernization and strengthen manufacturing and technological partnerships with developed countries.
