Martin Wolf on India-China bonhomie: Trump behaviour has caused anxiety, any major player will explore options

India–China camaraderie could be the beginning of a major reset: Martin Wolf

Martin Wolf, British Journalist and Chief Economic Commentator at Financial Times, said that the improving India-China relations can be a beginning of a major reset as New Delhi navigates the impact of sweeping US tariffs.

"I think that's a very, very big question and at this stage I don't think we know the answer. But it could be the beginning of a major reset. These are very early days. The power involved particularly India and China have a great deal of history and a great deal of suspicion," he told CNN-News18 when asked how does he see the latest camaraderie between PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit.

"How closely the can cooperate? We don't know. But Trump's behaviour towards India and his behaviour broadly towards the world has created anxiety, anger and doubt about the future. Inevitably, any major player will like to find the alternatives way of organizing their lives when they find that one of the player has become so crazy and unreliable," he added.

He further said that if US continues to behave this way, it will create a coalition or a cooperation among major powers.

Additionally, Wolf expressed shock when asked that if Trump's secondary tariff only on India for buying Russian oil can be a reason why India is moving from the US camp.

"It was a huge shock to me. I really assumed that relations between India and US under Modi and Trump will be good. I assumed that Americans regarded relations with India as among the most important in the world," he said.

Wolf also said that India and China will have a practical relationship to explore opportunities for trade and to counter US.

"The old principle is that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and if US is now a hostile power, in some way, these tariffs are act of war. This is an economic warfare. This doesn't mean India and China will have a warm relationship. It might a practical relationship where opportunities will be explored for trade and cooperation and to deal with US, which is threat to both of them," Wolf said.