Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday reacted to the tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump on India, stating that every country will react to it, considering their own national interests. He also emphasised building relations based on trust.
"I think every country is gonna work on its own national interest. And that is entirely right," Sunak, who was speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, said.
The former prime minister also referred to "transaction-based politics" as a “shame” and emphasised that little comes out of such relationships.
“When you base your relationships on trust, I think they can, over time, be more powerful,” Sunak said.
He also went on to cite an example of his relationship with the European Union's Ursula von der Leyen during his tenure as Britain's PM and added that the two were able to navigate through "very difficult issues" about the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
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{{/usCountry}}On the question of India navigating the turbulence caused by US tariffs, Sunak said that the old global order in which he grew up is gone and not coming back.
"The old global order, which I grew up with, is gone. I don't think it's coming back. But a couple of themes are clear. I see more multipolarity, and countries will focus on their own strengths," he said, according to NDTV.
The US has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty specifically for Russian energy purchases.
While Washington argues that such transactions fund Russia’s war against Ukraine, India has maintained that its energy purchases are driven by market forces and national security requirements rather than geopolitical alignment, consistently defending its right to secure affordable energy for its population.