UK and German Diplomats Highlight India-China Importance Amid Shifting Global Trade Dynamics

New Delhi:

India and China represent crucial trading partners and significant global players, according to senior diplomats from the United Kingdom and Germany who spoke at the NDTV World Summit 2025 on Friday morning.

British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron acknowledged China's economic weight but emphasized that 'India will be more important,' while Dr. Philipp Ackermann stated, "It is not either/or... it is India AND China."

When questioned about China's emergence in global economic and trade arenas, both diplomats highlighted the necessity of maintaining diverse trade partnerships, especially amid increasingly volatile geopolitical conditions.

"None of us wants to be dependent on (only) one country," Cameron remarked.

These comments were made against a backdrop of global supply chain disruptions caused by conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, as well as tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump.

The US has implemented a 50 percent tariff on India, which includes a 25 percent 'penalty' for purchasing Russian oil. Trump has repeatedly complained that Delhi's oil purchases from Moscow enable Russia to finance its war against Ukraine, a conflict he has pledged to resolve within weeks of taking office in January.

India has consistently maintained that it will not yield to pressure that could compromise national security. Both External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have stated that Russian oil purchases will continue as long as they remain economically advantageous.

This week, Delhi and Washington disagreed over Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia... it is going to be over soon."

However, the External Affairs Ministry clarified that no such assurance was provided.

Meanwhile, China currently faces tariffs of at least 30 percent under levies imposed by Trump, who accused Beijing of supporting the fentanyl trade and engaging in unfair trade practices.

China's retaliatory tariffs currently stand at 10 percent.

Beijing has also been threatened with a 100 percent levy, raising global concerns about another tariff conflict between the world's two largest economies. This prompted a strong warning from China.

"If the US continues on its wrong course, China will firmly take necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," the Chinese government declared.

The tariffs on India and China, along with substantial levies on other countries, have triggered a realignment of geopolitical relationships, particularly in Asia. Russia, India, and China—historically not aligned—are now openly discussing trade and economic partnerships.

PM Modi, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping all attended last month's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China, and American media highlighted a photograph of the three leaders together as indicative of a 'new world order' led by Asia.

Regarding India and China specifically, US tariffs appear to have brought the two nations closer. The thawing of relations—frozen for decades over border disputes—was underscored by the PM's visit to China and, prior to that, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's meeting with Jaishankar in Delhi, all emphasizing the 'dragon and elephant' dance metaphor.