Trump 2.0 Changes Everything: Where Does India Stand In America’s New Trade Power Play? | World News

New Delhi: Former Foreign Minister Shyam Saran has warned that India’s energy security could face serious disruptions as US President Donald Trump’s administration moves to expand secondary sanctions targeting major Russian oil companies. He said Washington’s latest crackdown directly affects India’s biggest importers, including Reliance Industries, which remains tied to the US financial system.

Trump’s geopolitical priorities have moved away from the previous Indo-Pacific framework, which has reduced India’s strategic importance in Washington and limited its negotiating space, he said in an interview with The Wire. He added that the absence of a US-India trade deal reflects broader uncertainty and is not just a tariff dispute.

Saran also rejected Trump’s public claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to reduce oil imports from Russia. He said such a commitment would be politically and economically unrealistic for New Delhi, especially ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit in December.

According to him, state-owned refineries can continue to supply Russian barrels through alternative channels, but large private importers dependent on US financing face increasing risks. He said India may eventually be forced to reduce Russian crude oil volumes if sanctions expand further.

He warned that renewed US action against Pakistan could add new friction to bilateral relations. He also underlined that grouping mechanisms such as the Quad, which were once at the center of US policy, no longer receive priority attention in Washington.

“The relationship will not return to the comfort of previous years anytime soon,” he said, emphasizing that India needs to re-evaluate both expectations and strategy as global alignments change.