'May they have prosperous future together': Trump says India, Russia lost to 'darkest China'

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that Washington appeared to have lost India and Russia to "deepest, darkest China."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!"

The comments came days after Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where the three leaders discussed cooperation in areas such as energy and security.

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Analysts said Trump’s statement marks one of his bluntest acknowledgments yet of the strengthening ties between New Delhi, Moscow, and Beijing, all of whom currently have disputes with Washington over global trade policy and the Ukraine war.

Successive US administrations, both Republican and Democratic, have long viewed India as a crucial counterbalance to China’s growing influence.

Trump himself sought to deepen ties with New Delhi during his presidency.