India is now facing a 50% import tariff against the majority of their goods (electronics and pharmaceuticals exempted). However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed not to yield to the pressure. Modi said the world was witnessing a “politics of economic selfishness.”
For approximately a decade many western countries including the U.S. have heaped effusive praise on India as corporations viewed the massive Indian population, the world’s largest democracy, as both workers and consumers. However, after the western sanctions against Russia were delivered, India -a BRICS nation- began pulling back from western alignment and influence.
Western sanctions map against Russia (yellow = agree with USA).
What we are witnessing now is one of the ramifications of the U.S. forcefully putting an “us or them” aspect into the strategic economic relationship, where “them” is Russia. Currently, India is not flinching.
One could make the argument that undeveloped regions in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) contain the majority of the valuable rare earth minerals and magnets the ‘western’ nations need for manufacturing. BRICS has a pressure point to apply leverage, but no global trade currency, if the trade conflict escalates.
INDIA – Steep U.S. tariffs on a range of Indian products took effect Wednesday, threatening a serious blow to India’s overseas trade in its largest export market.
President Donald Trump had initially announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods. But earlier this month he signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff due to India’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariffs imposed by the U.S. on its ally to 50%.
The Indian government estimates the tariffs will impact $48.2 billion worth of exports. Officials have warned the new duties could make shipments to the U.S. commercially unviable, triggering job losses and slower economic growth.
India–U.S. trade relations have expanded in recent years but remain vulnerable to disputes over market access and domestic political pressures. India is one of the fastest-growing major global economies and it may face a slowdown as a result.
Estimates by New Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative suggest labor-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewelry, leather goods, food and automobiles will be hit hardest.
“The new tariff regime is a strategic shock that threatens to wipe out India’s long-established presence in the U.S., causing unemployment in export-driven hubs and weakening its role in the industrial value chain,” said Ajay Srivastava, the think tank’s founder and a former Indian trade official. (read more)
Keep in mind, India is a very poor albeit populated country with the average person living substantially below the poverty line. That sounds like bad news for India until you realize if they lose export trade to the USA, the majority of Indians will not notice the difference in their life.
Politically President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi always appeared to have a very good relationship. However, on the issue of sanctions against Russia, President Trump is stepping into the middle of the BRICS relationship.
Modi feels strong due to a decade of effusive praise from all countries. Trump feels strong due to current effusive praise from all countries. Two hippos are facing each other.
There are multiple dynamics at play including President Trump’s Indo-Pacific strategy, a counterbalance to the influence of China, which is dependent on India. Prime Minister Modi appears to be calling President Trump’s bluff.
Want to see them cooperate? Tariff IT Outsourced Services, vastly reduce HB-1 and tax remittances. Then plug your ears and listen to the wheels screech on their gravy train.
absolutely!
i work with a LOT of indians for a LOT of years, so take from this what you will…
throttling the H1B program for them, not accepting new and sending many back; will have an immediate and huge effect, though i am not sure what the response will be. it would not surprise me to find even more defiance and permanent separation of them as a potential ally, but at this point i think its too late. we have already pushed them away.
the remittance thing, however, is very questionable. i’d like to see if there is some clean evidence thats even happening. to explain further…
what i know of the indians here is that they are almost exclusively from upper middle class or richer families, and they are graduating in the top 1-2% of their universities. this surprises a lot of people, i think. they are not full-on WEALTHY (otherwise they have no need to leave), but they are on the upper end of earnings, often politically connected, and a lot of their families BRIBE to get their kids onto the program, because ther eis definitely not enough cards to hand out per year for all the ones here.
this class is in a precarious position, in a very impoverished country with some means to do well, but not actually ESCAPE from the circumstances. the H1B gift, funneled through other countries allotment, even serve as a dowry to help get them out of India.
so, once here, they send very little back, as they have no intention of leaving (unless forced per the policy above).
it is a very different situation than latin americans. not good or bad, not even saying we want that either – just saying its different, so the effects would be different.
all i know is that the tech co’s are absolutely cheating the system, sometimes very openly, to underpay american citizens or not have to train and retain them. this burden should lie at THEIR feet.
A simple google search would tell you that remittances to India were $118 Billion! last year.
yeah… thus my “clear evidence” comment. the search i did says:
In fiscal year 2023-24, remittances from the US to India were approximately $32 billion
and given the source, i don’t buy that either.
my point, again, is that the remittance thing is unlikely to be the pain point for the individuals OR for the country, but the H1B withdrawals itself.
There is thought that PDJT is only showing a little of his hand. Anyone with a little common sense and web searches can see PDJT wields a heck of a lot more power and persuasion IF he needs to bring it out.
The key right now is to not disrupt Russia and Ukr in assembling a peace deal. Whether PDJT uses brute force if a peace deal cannot be reached is for another day. Pray to God that a peace can be achieved. Focusing on tomorrow is folly at the moment. FWIW. God bless
Immediate stop of sharing USA military intel to Ukraine. Why has this not occurred?
AI agrees.
India received $129 billion in remittances in 2024, marking a significant increase from $125 billion in 2023. This consistent inflow has made India the world’s top recipient of remittances for over 25 years, with the country receiving over $100 billion for three consecutive years. The primary sources of these remittances are the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.
Every remittance buck gets spent elsewhere. Not in the US economy.
a company I do work with has an IT department full of H1B visa Indian workers.
Most are average at best
of course, many Americans in IT are also average at best
however, we should be focusing on American jobs
I want OUR people to have these jobs – not foreigners. Not only that – I don’t want them coming to our country – is it really that much different from illegals coming here taking jobs from Americans? (don’t forget it’s not “Make India great” – it’s supposed to be about making America great). America for Americans – not America for Indians, Mexicans, etc. etc. I am sick and tired of people taking advantage of our country and DEMANDING to be hired, and given all the privileges of citizens. Let them eat cake as Marie Antoinette supposedly said.
You’ll be able to hear the squealing from the moon between the Tech Bros and certain influential Indian nationals that were getting rich off of it.
The fight for MAGA’s longevity post PDJT will be the fight with the Tech Bros.
Let’s get the party started!
Thats what I was going to say. I can’t imagine tit isn’t on the table, since the hb1 controversy was a national discussion recently.
I hope and pray that we stop importing workers. Job hunting is such a nightmare for good Americans.
I don’t think how many people realize that it doesn’t matter how much tariffs we put on any indian goods (what is it exactly do we get from them?) it matters not as long as they have the millions/billions of dollars in remittances from Visa holders you are correct. They could give 2 whits about tariffs…between the remittances and the offshoring money they can tell the US to pound sand…and, it appears, they do…so why do we put up with it? why do we keep every single Visa here? why no penalty with all the corporate offshoring of jobs?
Lots of tea! As a (discerning) tea drinker, I’m loading up now for my supply. 😋
How about we tax their remittances.
our Congress was suspposed to put 5% in the BBB..but OOPPS they were all bought out by corp interests and voila, became a pissant 1%…
Hopefully PDT has more economic weapons then just tariffs. Yes, the H1B imports financial remittances are leverage, but this is a very dangerous line we’re walking here getting up against BRICS when most nations are starting to feel the pinch from the new tariffs.
Yep. In truth Trump has more carrors then sticks. The Russian sanctions are a massive failure and from their perspective, a rational one, the US and NATO forced it. This needs to change. The world is not our enemy.
Royal Enfield motorcycles. Tea per Teagan. Doesnt seem like much tho I am perhaps naive.
Pharmaceuticals
He exempted them from the tariffs is my understanding though..
Fact-check: TRUE
While you’re at it, Tariff Canada for importing half of Punjab in record time.
Like Ive said. In my little City, the population is looking more like Little Mumbai. The gas stations, corner stores, hotels, and a host of other stores in our 2 malls, are all owned and operated by East Indians. The employees are all East Indians. I dont remember the last time I went to a gas station/convenience store, other than the Sunoco, that wasnt staffed by East Indians.
We have been inundated. Purposefully.
The excuse why so many are here is the 1 college, and the 1 university. They all come here for school, and never leave. They work 2 or 3 part time jobs too. They take up all and any available housing. 6 or 8 or 10 to an apartment. With 5 cars outside. They all seem to drive Audis, BMW’s, Tesla’s, some Dodge muscle cars, high end Cadillac SUV’s, Mustangs, all brand spanking new. Where is all that money coming from??
They are buying up any and all houses that go on the market too. Even in my quiet neighborhood. The last 5 houses for sale, were all sold to East Indians. As I said before, I walk my dog, every evening, there are groups of 6 to 10 of them, all dressed in their traditional garb, walking. They dont speak english at all, to each other. They dont move, they dont smile, they dont talk to you, they literally force me, to step out on the road, to go by them.
Its completely and utterly jaw droppin, the transformation in the last 4 years.
We can thank Turdeau and the rest of the globalist Libtards and Socialists for it. Carnage isnt changing a thing. They just keep coming.
Its unreal, man….
We pushed Ukraine into a war with Russia, blew-up the brand new $100 billion Nordstream Pipelines that Russia built, armed Ukraine with $300 billion in weapons and paid mercenaries to kill Russians.
Now instead of halting the weapons to Ukraine and accepting responsibility for starting the war we’re going to punish India for spending their own money to purchase Russian oil on the free market?
What happened to ending the war on Day One? This isn’t what I voted for. India didn’t cause the war the United States did! This is sick!
I agree. I don’t understand Trump’s actions here.
Thank you!
That and the Chinese student mess or more spies and thieves?
Nobody understands what Trump is doing. I’m MAGA and twice voted for him but am losing patience and confidence in him, as are others I know.
So you’d rather have Kamala? or Gavin in 2028? Maybe some MS13 members as neighbors.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. We will never have perfect, your perfect or anyone else’s.
It shouldn’t be an either or decision. President Trump campaigned on ending the war on Day One. We are now on Day 180!
Don’t want the democrats nor do I want the big three nuclear powers Russia,China and India teaming up against us. Also if my memory is correct didn’t Trump push big companies like Apple to move away from China and increase their production in India in order to avoid massive tariffs ?
Q. Who is India selling the oil it refines after buying it from Russia?
A. Europe. Yet the Europeans are supposed to have agreed to purchase $750B of oil and gas from the U.S.
Oh, and they keep insisting that the US impose more sanctions on Putin.
Does this help you to understand?
No! Not in the least. India is a country that’s free to buy whatever they want with their own money!
It helps me, thank you.
What he said.
The US didn’t start the war. Your country did. Putin caused the war. He invaded Ukraine. We didn’t blow up the Nordstream Pipeline. A Ukrainian did that.
You didn’t graduate from high school, did you?
I tested out of high school and dropped out of College..
Is that the best your propaganda department can come up with?
Sad.
Russian propaganda just ain’t what it once was with so much of it now being contracted out. To India, perhaps?
You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.
LOL.
Apparently not from a Russian high school.
Read some history.
History:
(1) Russia invades Georgia.
(2) Russia invades Crimea.
(3) Russia invades Ukraine.
Questions?
Yes, the big question, WHY?
Russia didn’t invade Crimea. It’s been the home of Russia’s largest naval base and their naval academy for 100 years and 90% of the population is Russian.
Russia didn’t invade Ukraine because the Eastern Provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk are 90% Russian and declared their independence from Ukraine in 2014 after the US coup, formed their own government and military most of which actually had resigned from the Ukrainian Army all after having UN monitored elections!
As for Georgia, I’m sure that the United States did something to F that up, as well. The good news is you can get your GED at night for free!
So many liberal trolls here, that have revisionsist history, its laughable.
Everything you just said is a fact. The truth, is the truth, feelings or lies be damned. Crimea has always hosted the largest Naval base, since long before any of us were born. As you say, ethnic Russians populate those regions. Always have. The Crimea is also a travel and leisure destination. Nice beaches, resorts, theme parks, etc.
These troll farm posters, just love to pretend not to know things.
They ignore Ukraine has been shelling those regions since 2014, killing many, many innocent people, who are literally Russians and Russian speakers. More pretending not to know things.
These posters are nothing but propagandists, lying through their teeth.
These posters, are deliberately here to stir the pot. Its obvious, beyond words. They just make things up as they go.
Thanks, Bobo! 🫡
It’s all Ukraine’s fault for putting their country to close to Russia.
😂
Much of Ukraine was Russian for centuries !
( clue 1)
Ukraine murdered over 10k Russian speaking Ukrainians.
( clue2)
NATO repeately lied about expansion
(Clue 3)
The US promised Nordstream would not function.
( clue 4)
Several more if you like.
How many Ukrainians did the russians murder?
MILLIONS
How many Russians did the Ukraine Azov Nazi’s, kill in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions? For how many years did they shell innocent people?
I can tell you for how many years. From 2014 to a few years ago.
Is Russia’s largest Naval Base in the Crimea?
Why yes, it is. Been there for long before you were conceived. Long before any of us were conceived. Did you expect them to give that up?
Ridiculous.
How many Russian’s and Russian speakers did they kill during that reign of terror? Any idea Joey?
Did they get warned to stop?
Yes. They did.
Did they stop? No, they didnt.
Did NATO break their promises of not building bases on Russia’s borders?
Yes. They did.
Were they warned not to do it?
Yes. They were.
Did NATO ignore the Minsk Accords?
They most certainly did.
Is Ukraine a hotbed of corruption, graft, bribery, and filled with sleazy politicians and the warmongerers in NATO, wanting to poke Russia?
Its a fact.
Its always been. You were sleeping through this? I have no idea. But you are pretending not to know things. We dont pretend here. In case you missed it.
Your writing millions in caps, doesnt change the facts. Regardless of your feelings.
Keep capping. Doesnt change a thing.
You may be misinformed, Wumao….
I seem to recall Joe using every opportunity to goad Putin into action. It took a while but here we are.
Ask Samanta Power/Thoria Nudelman/nulad and US ambassador in the KYIV/2014 who start war….. we did.. US/NEOCONS/UNIPARTY/CAI/MIC … hunter W…you sound as id*ots in the EU….
I was wondering how many comments I’d go past until I saw one questioning why we need to try to squeeze Russia with tariffs against people who buy their oil. (It was twelve.)
The best light I can see this in is to imagine that President Trump is strategically pretending.
I’m not sure what I think of what looks like volatile use of tariff threats.
The United States didn’t start the Ukraine proxy war with Russia but the US Deep State Department did.
As long as the Deep State maintains its control/influence over US foreign relations we are in an intractable morass.
President Ttump is between a rock and a hard place.
Are Victoria Nuland, Samantha Power and Susan Rice still holding security clearances? I heard they were not but it would behoove a thorough house cleaning.
When you decide to dance with the bear, be prepared to dance until the bear doesn’t want to dance any longer.
– Just a bit of old wisdom some people may have forgotten.
Old wisdom … … … until a lion comes along.
Bingo!
indeed very ,very sick….
Indian workers received 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued between October 2022 to September 2023. We should certainly stop issuing new ones to send a message.
It’s not IT. Major sectors of our oil and gas engineering are now being outsourced to India.
The outsourcing to India has become more of my concern than Visa’s lately. It is a number that isn’t tracked anywhere and they don’t count in any of the unemployment BLS stuff…jobs are literally DISAPPEARING folks from our country….not just IT. You name it, it is going. Marketing, HR, customer service, recruiting, ops, finance, accounting…most large accounting firms aren’t hiring half as many as they used to…they will blame AI and that is only a very small part of it but they would have you believe it is all..nope…the outsourcing to India and other countries is the US ruination. And no one is even talking about it…
I guess this has something to do with Lutnick’s signaling changes on H1B
Hot damn, BnG! That is a BIG 10-4!
If people thought Musk lost his mind a few months ago, make this happen and his mind would explode!!!
Look to the enemy within our own country. If the demand were not coming from USA companies for greed profit there would be no need for “outsourcing.”
I’m surprised you are calling it a bluff by President Trump.
I am still waiting on the first time PDJT bluffs. I haven’t seen one yet. I doubt this is when he starts.
President Trump doesn’t bluff. He promises big consequences and then follows through with decisive action. India, on the other hand, is bluffing bigly.
Common sense wisdom about “playing stupid games” and “finding out” can be inserted here. India is about to get slapped upside the head with both of those clever sayings.
It would only be a “bluff” if Trump did not actually do the 50% tariffs, but the 50% tariffs are now on, so it can’t be a bluff. Also, Sundance wrote, “Currently, India is not flinching”, but India is paying the 50% tariff, and the USA is making billions of India Tariff money. This is another example of Trump “Owning the downside”. … Trump would rather India stop buying Russian Oil, but if they won’t, America makes Billions. … And because of India’s purchasing of Russian Oil, Russia can continue the War, which then requires the EU to keep buying American weapons. ….Trump wants the War to end, but if the war continues, America will make billions, maybe trillions….The Art of the Deal.
the other comment doesn’t even acknowledge that its Trump picking this fight:
“one of the ramifications of the U.S. forcefully putting an “us or them” aspect into the strategic economic relationship”
the US didn’t do that: trump did it. we had no beef with BRICS. why now? it will only accelerate the dollar exit.
I just talked to Mr. Spock (don’t ask me how) and he says President Trump doesn’t bluff.
Am I the only one that finds the picture of JD and Usha hilarious?
Sundance didn’t post that for no reason….
Revoke all H1-B Visas and green cards from the intruders.
Regardless of what they do with oil.
Yeah, especially after this story today: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/08/exposed-job-search-sites-caught-hiding-high-paying/
I had that story in mind!
Personal experience too. I worked for a large multinational in IT for 18 years as a consultant. Once an Indian got into a management position they would only hire Indians.
In all the years I worked there I would provide resumes of our fellow Americans looking for a job. Never once did they get a call.
Can validate from my spouses’ experiences. It is 100% discrimination. Just need one person to file a class action suit.
I second that validation from up front row in HR/recruiting world…
Now, because the entire IT Department is made of Pajeets, good old fashion American companies are putting language requirements into hiring requirements. You need to speak Punjab to work here!
Why? Well because everyone else in the Department does, and so to be effective in this new role, we need you to speak their language. See how that works?
Its not just IT…its hotels and gas stations and donut shops, too.
Its medical practices and dialysis centers as well.
I am going to just say it…the anger in our country is growing and it is growing fast…our jobs and our country is being stolen from us. We all SEE it and people are starting to talk about it. Loudly. They are NOT sending their best. We know it, they know it. They are cheap labor. They get OUR jobs, OUR mortgages and OUR businesses. If something isn’t done soon, there is no telling what will happen. But all you need to do is take a peek on line…or speak with people. It is out there, brewing. The real stats of how many get our jobs, how much $ they send back (NOT spending in OUR country) and how they really FEEL about OUR country…yeah. This administration is going to have some real issues on their hands. Ignoring it will not make it go away
The sheer weight by volume of such a suit would send Blondi’s desk crashing through the Mantle to the Center Of The Earth!
100% true
Trump ABSOLUTELY needs to adress this, if not directly, severing the route of the problem via the H1b s , regardless of the transnationals screaming and pearl clutching en route to the bank…😏
Reprehensible.
I had an experience….was hugged in front and psychologically shivved in the back (lying cheating and sabotaged) while I was being smiled at. I know others that have had a similar experience. I just avoid…as best I can.
Why? I don’t remember that India had anything to do with starting the war. In fact, Russia didn’t start the war, either. We started it in spite of Russia pleading with Biden not to push NATO membership for Ukraine.
Bullseye!
Okay, if we’re serious about this game, send every Indian national in the US illegally, on a visa or a green card home.
And prevent them from buying out failing businesses and whopping real estate in prime locations.
You have to be talking about China here. China buys up the land. Trump is going to send 600K Chinese students here to enrich Harvard and to spy, and your worried about India?
I know of one situation that is not China and involves prime real estate on Laker Shore drive. Worth billions.
We know the Chinese threat. I don’t think the magnitude of the Indian threat to American business, has been appreciated, yet.
Agree, India has flown under the radar because they act meek and seem amiable, while they are stealing your business opportunity , high paying jobs, homes and heritage right out from under you.
Bingo!
Three months ago, he was talking about sending 300K back to China. Huh? What’s he doing? My vote is still with him. The field leaves no viable alternative even close.
Jules Verne… are you talking about orig. 6’3″ or current “he” 5’10” tall on stage…….looks like “he” did “shrink”…..
Thousands of motels and little gas/market stores will be forced to close!
I know of one gas station that routinely disables the 5 cents off per gallon and you have to go thru the company website, set up a password and all that hassle…to get maybe 45 cents off a tank of gas. How many people are willing to do that? Let ’em close. Get an honest business owner…for the record, I buy my gas elsewhere.
The milk is overpriced. A standard Reece’s candy bar is $2.79…milk is $5 dollars a gallon…let ’em close.
Sounds good to me.
“Prime Minister Modi appears to be calling President Trump’s bluff“
Modi does so at his own peril. While the vast many of his population may not feel the impact, the business community will & begin to place pressure on him from within. Modi will blink
China and E.U. buy the same amount of oil from Russia. But your okay with just blaming India. Oh, the irony.
Quit taking their people in would be a nice sanction.
if when Trump brings about peace all this will be water under bridge?!
I think that this sort of thing is precisely what will drive BRICS forward, and “the West” backward.
Basically, sanctions “work” because a lot of world trade “has to be” denominated in US Dollars. But this is, more and more, going to be first “openly questioned,” then defied. And the BRICS movement is the embodiment of that. Furthermore, it happens to make extreme business sense to do so.
If you are trading with the United States, then you have no choice but to use their currency. But in many present cases, the “US Dollar” is inserted into the transaction “just because.” Likewise, settlements are done using the SWIFT secure-messaging system, “just because.” This is precisely what is unsustainable. You’re paying fees … for what? A third-party nation can fully interfere with you and shut you down … for why?
Countries should be entitled to work in whatever currency(ies) they want to use, and any exchange or bourse or insurer they want to use, etcetera. And that is precisely what BRICS is constructing – often using “off-the-shelf” parts.
They represent, themselves, a very sizeable portion of the world economy: an economy that specifically does not want to involve or be beholden to “the West.” They do NOT have a “single trade currency.” You trade using the trader’s own money. With non-Western insurers, bourses, and so on. “YOU get to choose.”(!!)
This is simply NOT something that the USA or “the West” can make disappear using “bluster and blow.” It is a perfectly sensible and very necessary arrangement, and it IS going to happen, and WE ARE going to find ourselves competing(!) with it.
And, not too surprisingly, it will be a better world for all of us when that happens. (Yes, “for ALL of us,” including “U.S.”)
The flaw in this analysis is that many of these countries may end up devaluing their currencies over the Trump tariffs. That doesn’t help the BRICS movement, while those devaluations make the dollar stronger.
💯
It’s actually the fatal flaw in that hypothesis.
They might devalue their currencies against the Dollar, in order to try to preserve trade that right now is still being denominated using the Dollar. But the key point of BRICS is that “the Almighty Dollar” is removed from the pivot-point.
You (country X) are trading with (country Y) using the currency(ies) of your choice, using settlement systems not controlled by the USA, and now the US Dollar has nothing to do with it. Likewise, the value of your currency “against the Dollar” does not affect its value for this trade. The US Dollar™ simply does not appear at all.
But India needs dollars in their county because no one will accept Rupees as payment from them.
I believe that you will prove to be quite mistaken. There is now another exchange – which has nothing at all to do with “the West” – and Rupees are accepted there. They might be worth a smaller number of “US Dollars,” but they are national currency nonetheless. Traders in these alternative exchanges don’t have to care about US Dollars because they are not using them. They don’t care about “access to SWIFT” because they’re not using that system, either.
stronger dollar will make US deficits / debt bite harder on US population living standard
Wrong. You do not understand how foreign exchange markets work. Vast majority of Indian IT work and all of the HB-1s are paid in dollars. They need to then sell dollars in exchange for Rupee. This makes the dollar weaker and the Rupee artificially strong. End their ability to send remittances home, either by taxation or the reduction in HB-1s and the demand for Rupee’s (and its value) collapses.
Perfectly stated. India is playing a dead end game.
The “Indian IT Work” is only a part of the Indian economy – one of the largest nations on earth. Yes, this is “trade with the United States” which must be transacted in US Dollars. But, with BRICS in place, there are now alternative trading systems which can be used in parallel to “Western” ones. You sell your oil, for example, using these other ones.
Our present assumptions are that there is no, and that there cannot be, any alternative to “our way.” That all of world trade has to pass through “us,” even when it’s not our trade. This is what is going to disappear: there will be alternatives. As, quite properly, there always should have been . . .
In 2024, the top 30 trading partners of the United States represented 86.1% of U.S. exports and 89.6% of U.S. imports, and these figures do not include services or foreign direct investment.
13.2% of global import trade is with the U.S.
The European Union and the United States together represent almost 30% of global trade in goods and services.
So when you speak of “all of world trade”, keep these figures in mind.
US Dollars are the currency that the vast majority of their economy relies upon. Cut off their access to dollars and they are toast. If you think India can make up their trade with the rest of the BRICS, you are naive.
Russia, with its vast mineral resources, is a different story. But India is screwed if we cut them off the dollar or they choose otherwise.
Thanks for your concern
While some intra-BRICS trade is shifting to local currencies, this accounts for only 2% of global payments as of May 2025 according to SWIFT.
The US dollar continues to dominate global finance. It remains the counterpart in 88% of foreign exchange transactions, according to the Bank for International Settlements’ 2022 triennial survey, with the renminbi involved in only 7%.
The dollar’s role as a store of value, unit of account, and medium of exchange is deeply entrenched, supported by the depth and liquidity of US financial markets, the rule of law, and the stability of US institutions.
BRICS itself is not a cohesive economic bloc. Trade among member countries accounts for only 6% of their combined total tradeThe group includes nations with significant geopolitical tensions, such as China and India, which further undermines trust and cooperation necessary for a shared currency.
BRICS lacks the political unity, institutional infrastructure, financial depth, and mutual trust required to replace the US dollar.
All of you might just be startled at how fast the statements made by this last paragraph can be changed. Most things that you cite, such as “political unity,” “depth,” and “trust,” are entirely self-serving. They represent a status-quo which was created by Bretton-Woods. But, the “world majority” is now being forced(!) to take a hard second look.
Nations throughout the world must trade with one another. Each of them has a sovereign currency. But, here is one nation that now claims that it is “entitled” to own and control everything – even when it is not a party to the particular trade in question. It is “entitled to it,” very simply because of what it … well … was.
Make your own deal. Choose your currency. Choose every aspect of the trade to suit yourself and your clients. Choose freely.
It is no longer technically necessary to use SWIFT. It is no longer technically necessary to use “Western” insurers. It is no longer necessary to involve “the US Dollar™” in your transaction at all, unless you are acctually trading with that country.
This is something that is coming, but the USA is going to be drawn to this realization kicking and screaming. Because the USA right now “assumes” that the world cannot possibly exist without it.
I am not up-to-speed on BRICS currency issues, but it seems to me that the nations involved and their financial institutions are heading to become “gold” strong; then, later, their products, services and currencies can be traded amongst themselves based on an agreed gold standard sytem to value those currencies against each other.
I like the gold standard, myself. Unfortunately for me, I remember gold at $32 per troy once in 1972…I really missed that boat!
BRICS is just a group that cuts down trade barriers among themselves. According to BRICS rules, they will not interfere in each other’s internal political or other issues. If some other countries want to join BRICS, the present members should vote unanimously, exactly like NATO.
It is impossible for them to have a common BRICS currency like Euro.
They trade with their own currency, but all currencies are pegged with US dollar.
India and China have unresolved border issues from 1949, with China occupying a large portion on Indian territory near Himalayas. China sells lots of weapons to Pakistan, which has been a hub for Anti India terror activities.
So from outside BRICS looks formidable, but have injured spots in that alliance, that are not easy to heal.
India has a trade deficit of 110 billion dollars with China, 50 billion dollars with Russia and a Surplus of 50 billion with US.
Your theory is not fully right that about BRICS.
So bigger economies in BRICS don’t buy but sell a lot to India.
So US is a cash cow for India.
In couple of months expect a trade deal between India and US.
Mike, you forgot to mention the massive killings that India is enabling by buying cheap oil from Russia. Yes, that is human deaths that slipped your mind.
What massive killings??And perhaps you forgot that the issue with Russian oil and gas diverted from its original customers was actually perpetrated by the US???
Massive killings? Will you elaborate?
I don’t want to assume.
I don’t remember that India had anything to do with starting or continuing the war in Ukraine! It’s the United States that’s enabling the killing by refusing to stop funding Ukraine with billions of dollars in weapons and support. You don’t buy that fairy-tale that we’re cut-off the weapons or that Europe is paying for them, do you?
You mean other than financing the invader?
Mike, you editing your comment is evidence that my comment hit home. But you still don’t seem to mind that India is enabling the killing of thousand of people….all so that India can obtain Russian Oil at a reduced price.
Trouble is, there isn’t enough gold to go around. The main reason for not being on a gold standard.
Global team work among nations united against MAGA is the New Normal of social credit scoring since they colluded together to fake a global pandemic. If they can coordinate to fake a global pandemic, faking a isolated foreign war that we cant see and in the most corrupt country in Europe would not be too difficult.
Trump can leverage the powerful H1B issue here while the Globalist Cabal will leverage their loopholes in Democracy (election fraud) culminating in the usual illusion of choice scenario after the 2028 installations.
Time to cut back on student visas and work permits for Indian citizens. The same thing we should do for the Chinese.
Indian refiners, such as Reliance Industries, have been able to process Russian crude oil into refined products like diesel and gasoline, which are then exported to the EU. This arrangement allows the EU to indirectly source oil while adhering to sanctions against direct imports from Russia.
The EU is at war with the U.S.
Thank you. You always reply with that larger-background-contextual aspect.
A quick search of your reply yielded the following:
India has become the EU’s top supplier of refined oil products, largely due to its processing of discounted Russian crude
EU sanctions prohibit direct imports of Russian crude and refined products, but do not restrict imports of refined products made from Russian crude by third countries like India
Refineries such as Reliance Industries (Jamnagar) and Nayara Energy (Vadinar) have played a central role in this trade loophole
This loophole has allowed the EU to maintain energy supplies while technically complying with its sanctions regime.
This whole relationship between the EU and Russia is complicated. The EU on one hand is against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but on the other hand is reliant, via a “loophole”, on Russian refined oil?
Janus-Faced?
This us actually a leverage point we’ve been holding in our pocket. If need be we can play this card for increased tariff s to the EU & force them to quit buying cheap gas from India.
When Nordstream was destroyed, the US began to sell LPG to the EU at FOUR times the rate that Russia charged. Countries keeping their businesses going, their citizens with heat and electricity, is beyond any ‘allegiance’ with the US.
So is China who buys the oil too from Russia. Why is everyone here giving a break to China? You all have no problem with 600K Chinese students coming here? Another Chinese student charged for spying in TX yesterday, but ignore all the facts & focus on India. Critical thinking has deserted some here with blaming India for everything. We love Trump but we have the right to disagree with him some times too! That’s MAGA.
Take a deep breath! I don’t believe anybody’s giving China a pass in the slightest. The topic is India not China. I doubt for 1 second China has “gotten past” many here in the comment section.
“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” ― Mark Twain
It would seem countries also.
(not withstanding what a monster the deep state has become)
so EU has outsourced refining to India to be paid for with while US has outsourced money laudering to Ukraine!
Eventually we will have to figure how to make more things here. It may cost more but the jobs will be here. Or find partners to work with, don’t know where, we’ll figure it out.
That seems to be a big blind spot in a lot of these economic discussions. Do we have the capacity to actually produce physical/material goods? It seems NAFTA gutted most of our industry and we metastasized to a paper pushing, celebrity/influencer economy.
If I look at the majority of the jobs in my circles (including my own), there are no careers that involve hard physical production of goods. Lots of service type jobs, paper pushing, or digits clacking on keyboards.
That is what America first is fixing.
Main Street used to make everything here and Made in America was an enhancement.
Then the vampires at Wall Street with their Geld über alles destroyed Made in America.
Yep, what an idea….we make our own stuff, maybe we could learn to do that. /s
Enter illegals who will buy cheap stuff to set up housekeeping here in Los Estados….enter the cheap labor crowd. And cheap merchandise crowd.
I don’t know that sanctioning or tariffing nations that purchase Russian oil is the way to go. Isn’t that potentially going to drive up oil/gas prices here at home? IMO Ukraine is the problem as they are not willing to concede to the realities on ground…the fact that they’ve lost as many as 1.7 million troops and 20% of Ukraine and therefore must make territorial and other concessions to end the war/prevent more losses of Ukrainian lives and land and yet Zelensky remains unwilling. So why not put pressure on Ukraine by cutting all forms of military/intelligence support rather than enabling them to continue fighting [and losing] and escalating? Is it that US manufacturers are profiting from weapons/munitions sales? What is it we want from Putin at this point? I’m not sure anymore where president Trump is going with this.
Yes, any sanctions on Russian oil will drive up the price of oil worldwide which negatively impacts inflation and interest rates in the US driving up the federal deficit!
If you need a road, build a road.
If you want to stop a war, stop the weapons supply.
Putin has claimed that Russia will fight until Russia takes all of Ukraine. ….
Start sending back H1Bs.
YES, way overdue. They can still eat cake but have them do it in their own country.
India will be fine. Half the Indian population is working in America under the ever-expanding H1B visa program. Indians have taken over every major sector of US corporations from technology to human resources to finance. They also have taken over the C-suites in many industries.
All because Americans are “too stupid” and “too lazy” to work, says the H1B visa pushers like AT&T and many other technology snakes. If we don’t let them have their H1B visa workers here, they just outsource the jobs to overseas technology sweatshops.
Half the population of India is 700 million people.
Those not physically here are working here over the phone.
Perfect 😎 The only good thing about it is that they speak English.
Not for much longer
They also have moved into the transportation business (trucking) in a big way. Look in any truck stop on the east-west interstates and see for yourself.
I remember when the Indians had all the motels in their portfolios.
So glad to see that photo of Vance and spouse.
Where do we think his loyalties will lie should he become President 48 per the outstanding bio provided on these pages.
I will admit this was the very first thing I thought of when aka JD was chosen as President Trump’s running mate, and I saw his wife. My mind just works that way.
Worth considering I think
Call it making up my own stories. I do try to see around corners far in advance.
I see I am not alone 😎
Is Trump’s loyalties with Slovenia??
Not the same, which I suspect you know.
See Michele M’s explanation for why it is not.
Further, why is it, do you think, that Sundance placed that particular photo at the end of this specific discussion…
I would sincerely be interested in your answer.
No, you are not… Many people have been asking this. Between his relationship with tech bro Thiel and Indian wife, I think people are fair to ask questions about his attitude towards Visas vs American workers….Many people are questioning this…
No you are not alone.
What men will do for women…
Always on target!
Best regards, Ms Betsy.
You are too funny.
You think it’s all about the president? What about the powerful people that may come into a hypothetical president’s cabinet like the wife of Mitch McConnell — Elaine Chao? Look how much influence she had over China policy. And she wasn’t the president’s spouse. You just assume things about someone because of their ethnicity and not about their behavior or actions…..
What you call that? It escapes my memory…..
Deport all the indians taking American jobs and college slots.
Is this the way that we will finally be able to revoke all of the H1B VISAs and send these people back to India to Make It Great Again? If these people are so amazing and superior to American workers then India should be a First World Nation by the end of 2026.
It seems like the two choices are to stop purchasing Russian oil or else the USA will send H1B workers and their families back to India.
How soon everybody is quick to forget and discount the fact that Russia (USSR) has been a very very long time friend of India.
Russian (USSR) Technology equips the Indian Military – ALL 3 x branches … been that way for over 75 years.
Russia supplies electronic and other technology to India.
Russia has backed India Diplomatically when before the 1990’s when the “West” was just starting to become enamored with India.
Then there are energy sales and deals to transship to the EU.
Say what you will about the USSR, Russia, Putin etc. … Russia has a nack for honoring friendships and deals that creates long terms relationships.
This relationship goes far deeper than BRICS.
In contrast the ONLY US Administration to have anything approaching a relationship with India is the Trump Administration.
I agree. It may be that we have to let India purchase oil and military equipment from Russia. With that in mind, then we start returning Indian H1B workers to their motherland.
It’s okay. We don’t have to be friends with everyone. But we do need other nations with which to conduct trade.
This is a very messy business.
while US backed Pakistan who backed Taliban and OBL
If we had refineries…we could compete with India for exports to the EU.
Why are we so concerned about where they buy crude…or weapons?
Now do you see it?
Busted!
He married an Indian woman! She’s smart and beautiful. I’d do exactly what JD is doing for that!
How many cups of bhang did he have before this pic was snapped?
Why is anything exempt?
Ah…… Trumps not bluffing.
The majority of currency transactions between the US and India is digital these days. It’s cheaper and faster and more convenient. I suspect that India is ahead of the US in this regard as are most of the Asian countries.
Regrettably, I think Trump is making a mistake here. As he has already broached the subject of loosening sanctions on Russia itself, he should not be involved with India’s relationship with Russia. And considering that it was the US, and their activity regarding Nordstream, that began this issue to begin with, I don’t understand where President Trump is getting his advice on this issue. Personally, I don’t agree with it.
I guess that PDJT had to ask India to stop purchasing Russian oil. If he didn’t make the request then he would not definitively know that the answer is NO.
What Team Trump does next will be interesting to see.
I’m less inclined to think Modi is calling PDJTs bluff and more inclined to think Modi is saying “your terms are accepted”. Now the next question…
How about shutting down the transfer of US jobs to India (such as sanctioning our oil companies who fire people here while they build up their offices over there), ending all H1-Bs, and taxing remittances at 90%? How about we do that?
I’d type a long comment but the Indian foreign minister said it best anyway
Paraphrasing, since the US and EU are buying Indian refined products, at the behest of the US (Biden) who told the EU to buy Indian refined products so the gas prices could remain low
Indian foreign minister: If you do not like the product [gasoline, diesel], DONT BUY IT
I guess India is still luckier than Brazil because brazil got a 50% tarriff (sanctions) on them JUST BECAUSE Trump Admin didnt like political procedings in Brazil (think what you want of Bolsonaro but it is a Brazil internal matter)
I think the real solution here is America First and play nice with the world community
Instead of America First and world hegemony
Weaponization of the US Dollar and Western financial institutions must stop, its one of the most prominent reasons for BRICs existing
No weaponization = No need for BRICs
and the US is doubling down (more sanctions and weaponization)
So expect to see more BRICs I suppose.
Bingo. The keep it simple theory!
See also another article on CHT today. Sea Island versus Tech Bros.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/08/27/sea-island-hits-president-trump-and-tech-bros-on-h1b-vulnerability/
Hire American, take fewer profits which go to the Sea Island associates….solves both problems.
Every “temporary” Indian immigrant should retaliate and go back to India.
“RESIST” should be their mantra!
Maybe we can get rid of those call centers in India.
India is a Filthy country . https://revolver.news/2025/08/indian-man-gets-1-million-views-for-calling-out-countrys-filth
I remember when the movie, “Slum Dog Millionaire” came out and how the people of India screamed and complained that they don’t have slums and, if they do, then they are not as bad as portrayed in the movie.
We should cut their H1-B stays in half and reduce their absolute number to half. That is a more powerful weapon because it will hit their upper caste the hardest.
No surprise.
“India and Russian have maintained a close and strategic partnership since the mid-20th century, particularly during the Cold War era. Formal diplomatic relations between India and the Soviet Union were established in April 1947, shortly before India’s independence. The relationship deepened over time, with the Soviet Union becoming a key supporter of India, especially during conflicts with Pakistan. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, India and Russia continued this partnership, upgrading it to a “strategic partnership” in 2000.
India and Russia are next-door neighbours. Who do expect India to trade with? Our biggest trade partners are Canada and Mexico. Are you seeing the connection!
I got a problem in regard to our treatment of Russia. There are two countries in this war. You want peace then hit both at the same level. Right now it seems that Russia is the bad son and Ukraine the good. Not seeing it. Put both in their rooms or leave both of them be but don’t show favorites.
New poster alert. First time ever that I saw drip, drip.
“What we are witnessing now is one of the ramifications of the U.S. forcefully putting an “us or them” aspect into the strategic economic relationship, where “them” is Russia. Currently, India is not flinching.”
Maybe we need to cozy up to Pakistan.
Maybe we really just need to mind our own business!
🎯
Try telling that to President Trump. See how far you get. Be sure to let us know.
“Prime Minister Modi appears to be calling President Trump’s bluff.”
But what if President Trump is not bluffing ?
What then?
We import very little of anything from India. There’s no tariff on ZERO imports. Modi is laughing.
Modi is leaching.
Start shipping out any of them who are not legal U.S. Citizens.
THis is the best you-tuber/podcaster. He’s Canadian. Listen to his take on India🤣
reduce the H1B visas that workers from India take advantage of
along with the companies that hire them
hire American!
There is so much ree in central and South America that ii is actually very surprising. And, f—king china is mining them!
Monroe Doctrine, bitches!
Don’t we still buy Russian oil? I seem to remember the AutoPen had no problem bringing it in during the previous 4 year waking nightmare. The Hedgies still aren’t loaning petrol companies the money for infrastructure last I checked, so are we still refining Russian crude?
Perhaps the 600k Chinese students are an arrow in PDJT’s quiver. I don’t think there’s any love lost between India and China
I think tariffs for retaliation and ‘fair’ markets is fine.
But using them for punishment for not ‘going along’ is futile.
If you have to make people be your friend then you have no friends.
What we really need is high tariffs on outsourcing labor to India. Call centers, software development. If we tariff these services, it directly benefits US employees, as well as US consumers. Not being having to be dealing with call centers employees who are struggling to be understanding the English language and how to being communicating properly. And not having to deal with buggy software written by Indian developers who write code in the same spaghetti style as their transportation network.
India is like a parasite with America as its host.
It’s a very poor country suffering from centuries of poverty, over population and a caste system. Slowly maybe things will impove there.
Should have put tariffs on the people they export to us.. if you are serious about these “infractions” you tax the crap out of the US companies that exported their middle class indoor jobs to India and put a cap on all visa classifications issued to India citizens.. End this game, put a cap on all India citizens allowed into the country
Sometimes I think President Trump may be getting too big for his shoes.
But then I remember he has very big shoes.
I said it here before that the BRICS countries are sticking together. My bet is still on President Trump, tho.
Pres. Trump wants the Russia-Ukraine war to stop. If he gets that, Modi and Trump are back to normal.
Caveat Emptor: I was a C+ in a public high school.
Great! Start cancelling their HB1, green cards, and visits here. Give those jobs to Americans.
Thanks Modi! Thought we were going to be stuck with your parasites. Let them go work in India call centers ripping off American elders. That is what they do best. Stealing from America.
Silicon Valley is a crap hole now. Send them back.
Guys from India Silicon Valley invariably have big egos and small brains. Disrespectful to women. I know, I worked there. Creativity is null. That is why they do menial tasks. We don’t need any more foreigners in America. That includes 500k Chinese in Harvard. Truck drivers that can’t read, write or drive!! NO!!!
Keep them out. FATIGUE!!!!
Harvard is going to need a bigger building
We just might be witnessing a Cat 1 hurricane between President Trump and Russia/India that may soon turn into a cat 5.