New Delhi: Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister of the UK, said on Friday that it is normal for any country to act in its own best interest when US President Donald Trump put tariffs on Indian exports.
Sunak said at the NDTV World Summit 2025 that Washington’s recent trade obstacles would make countries across the world react based on their own needs.
“I believe that each country will look out for its own best interests.” Sunak added at the occasion, “And that is completely right.”
“Trust Over Transactions” in Diplomacy
Sunak called “transaction-based politics” a “shame” and said that we need to develop international partnerships based on trust instead of short-term benefits.
He remarked, “I think relationships that are based on trust can be stronger over time.”
Sunak talked on his relationship with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which was founded on trust. He said that this relationship enabled the UK and the EU deal with tough problems after Brexit.
The World Order is Changing
Sunak remarked that the world order has changed in a big way and that India needs to figure out how to deal with the mounting problems caused by US trade policy.
“The way things used to be in the world, which I grew up with, is gone. “I don’t think it’s coming back,” he said.
“But there are a few distinct themes. I see increasing multipolarity, and nations will focus on what they do best.
Sunak’s comments show how the world is changing in terms of politics and economics, with countries becoming more self-reliant in the face of global uncertainty.
India’s energy policy and US tariffs
Recently, the US put a 50% tax on commodities from India and a 25% tax on India’s purchases of Russian energy.
Washington says that this kind of commerce helps Russia’s war in Ukraine, but India has justified its position by arguing that its energy imports are based on market forces and national security needs, not on political alignment.
India says that getting cheap energy for its people is still a key goal, even though the world is putting more pressure on it.