August 8, 2025: India is said to have put its plans to buy a lot of high-profile US weapons systems on hold. This is a huge step forward for US-India ties. A Reuters piece says that a lot of people think this is a response to President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on goods coming from India.
Because of the choice, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s planned trip to Washington, where he was supposed to make a number of key acquisitions, has been canceled. It is said that the purchase of six Boeing P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol planes and talks for Stryker combat vehicles and Javelin anti-tank missiles are on hold.
The postponement is the worst thing that has happened between the two countries since the Trump administration’s trade policy went into effect. The US has defended the taxes by noting that India maintains importing Russian oil, but New Delhi has reacted fiercely. Officials in India have said they won’t talk about buying defense goods again until the trade dispute is resolved.
The two countries still work well together when it comes to sharing intelligence and undertaking military exercises. But this new turn of events demonstrates that India is adjusting its strategy to find a balance between its relationship with the US, its economic requirements at home, and its “Make in India” defense plan.