NSA Ajit Doval’s Bold Warning To Donald Trump Months Before US Blinked, Trade Deal Followed, ‘India Won’t Be Bullied’

Months before the announcement of the India-US trade agreement, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval travelled to Washington in an effort to reset strained bilateral ties and revive trade negotiations, according to a Bloomberg report.

During the visit, Doval met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conveyed New Delhi’s desire to move past the acrimony that had built up between the two countries and return to constructive trade talks. Officials in New Delhi familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg that Doval made it clear India would not be pressured by US President Donald Trump or his senior aides.

India Won’t Be Bullied By Donald Trump, NSA Ajit Doval Told Marco Rubio

According to the report, the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval also indicated that India was prepared to wait out Trump’s term if required, but stressed that the US administration needed to dial down its public criticism for relations to normalise.

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Bloomberg quoted Ajit Doval as telling Rubio that “India wouldn’t be bullied by US President Donald Trump and his top aides, and would be willing to wait out his term, having faced other hostile US administrations in the past.”

Officials familiar with the meeting further told Bloomberg that New Delhi urged Washington to soften its public rhetoric if it genuinely wanted bilateral ties to return to normal.

The meeting reportedly took place in early September, shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

India-US Trade Deal Announced Months After Ajit Doval’s Warning

Several months after the reported Ajit Doval-Marco Rubio meeting, President Trump announced that India and the United States had reached a trade agreement that included reduced tariffs and expanded market access. India subsequently confirmed the tariff reduction component of the agreement.

While Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the tariff relief in his public remarks, he did not explicitly refer to a formal trade deal or confirm any commitments related to the purchase of Russian oil or the imposition of zero tariffs on US goods.

On Monday, President Trump formally announced the agreement on Truth Social, stating that American tariffs would be lowered. He also claimed that India would stop purchasing Russian oil.

PM Modi Welcomes Tariff Relief

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the announcement and thanked President Trump for lowering duties on Made in India products.

In a post on X, Modi said, “When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Praising Trump’s role on the global stage, Modi added, “President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights.”

Strained Ties Before the Reset in India-US Relations

Prior to Ajit Doval’s diplomatic outreach, relations between India and the US had deteriorated sharply. President Trump and senior members of his administration, including White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, repeatedly criticised India over its purchase of Russian crude and its refusal to open sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy to US companies.

Navarro accused India of aligning with “authoritarians” and went as far as framing the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war.”

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