Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has cautioned India against over-relying on President Donald Trump, advising New Delhi to treat him as a “one-time proposition” rather than assuming his policies represent broader American consensus.

Bolton stressed that India should focus purely on its national interest while engaging the current U.S. administration.

According to Bolton, Trump’s foreign policy lacks a coherent national security framework, characterising it as highly transactional and erratic. He noted that much of the friction in India–U.S. relations in recent years stems from the unpredictability of Trump’s personal style rather than structural divergences.

Trade has emerged as a major sticking point. Bolton criticised the Trump administration’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on Indian companies purchasing Russian oil and gas. He highlighted the inconsistency in Trump’s approach, pointing out that other major buyers, such as China and Turkey, were spared similar penalties even though they continued purchasing Russian energy in violation of sanctions.

He also dismissed incendiary remarks from Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro, who accused India of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” and even made casteist allegations against Indian buyers of Russian crude. Bolton argued that Navarro lacks foreign policy knowledge and that his comments should not be interpreted as official American policy, labelling such rhetoric as peculiar to the Trump White House.

Despite such tensions, Trump has adopted a conciliatory tone toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating that Modi is his “friend” and promising progress on trade negotiations. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said he was optimistic about resolving barriers between the two countries and looked forward to further engagement with India.

Bolton’s remarks underscore a broader warning: India must engage pragmatically with the Trump presidency without assuming continuity once his term ends. For New Delhi, the strategic takeaway is to anchor U.S. ties in long-term bipartisan consensus rather than the erratic impulses of one leader.

Based On ANI Report