Scott Bessent calls India, China, Russia 'bad actors', brushes off SCO summit as 'performative'

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has launched a sharp verbal attack on India, China and Russia, branding them “bad actors” for allegedly fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine and dismissing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin as “largely performative.”

His comments were a reminder of the brimming tensions between Washington and New Delhi even as US President Donald Trump escalates a tariff war with India.

Bessent’s warning on India and China
Bessent played down the significance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit.

“It happens every year for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It’s more of the same. And look, these are bad actors … India is fueling the Russian war machine, China is fueling the Russian war machine … I think at a point we and the allies are going to step up,” he said.

Moreover, he confirmed that the Trump administration was considering additional sanctions on Russia after its fresh missile and drone attacks killed at least 17 people in Kyiv, including four children.

“So I think with President Trump, all options are on the table, and I think we’ll be examining those very closely this week,” Bessent said.

On India, the Treasury Secretary struck a mixed tone: “At the end of the day, two great countries will get this solved. But the Indians have not been great actors in terms of buying Russian oil and then reselling it, financing the Russian war effort in Ukraine.”

Bessent also argued that China would face challenges if excluded from Western markets. “They don’t have a high enough per capita income in these other countries,” he said, pointing to Beijing’s reliance on the US, Europe and English-speaking economies.

SCO summit camaraderie: optics versus reality
The Tianjin summit showcased rare warmth between India, Russia and China. Modi shared hugs with Xi and rode in the same car as Putin, projecting India’s strategic independence and signaling that it has options beyond Washington.

For Modi, the SCO stage was an opportunity to highlight India’s autonomy while pushing back against Pakistan on terrorism and voicing concerns about China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Bessent, however, dismissed the display as superficial. “This is a longstanding meeting … I think it’s largely performative,” he said, echoing Washington’s skepticism of the grouping.

Trump’s tariff tantrums
Donald Trump has been even more scathing, using social media to call the US-India relationship “totally one sided” and accusing New Delhi of imposing “the highest tariffs in the world.”

India has rejected the charges as “unjustified and unreasonable,” insisting that its energy and agricultural needs cannot be compromised.

The Trump administration has imposed reciprocal tariffs of 25% on Indian goods and an additional 25% levy on oil imports linked to Russia, raising duties to 50% — among the highest globally.

Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro amplified the criticism, accusing Indian refiners of turning the country into a “massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin.” While describing Modi as a “great leader,” Navarro alleged “Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people.”