US could be isolated for provoking trade frictions: Indian expert

The United States could be economically isolated for provoking trade frictions and jeopardizing fair trade principles worldwide, said an Indian expert on Friday.

Swaran Singh, a professor with the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the recent US actions of bullying its trade partners, including China and India, are not going to bring the country any good.

Instead, those actions will tighten the economic ties between the bullied countries, according to Singh.

"Indeed, I also want to underline that such a whimsical policy of President Trump is going to open several new opportunities for China and India. And very good examples are: China has imposed now 25 percent additional tariffs on soybean imports from the United States and just in the same time in July this year, now, last week, China has actually removed all tariffs on import of soybeans and oil kegs from five countries that are part of Asia Trade Agreement that China has, India is one of them. And we have seen cotton, soybean, sugar exports from India to China increasing," said Singh.

In addition to India, other major world economies also expressed strong discontent towards the US tariffs policy, said Singh, adding that the US actions of trade protectionism have already prompted the affected countries to stick together and enhance their multilateral trade ties, which could result in an economic isolation for the US in a long run.

"So in many ways, this kind of whimsical and unthoughtful policy of the United States is going to bring advantages to other countries, not just China and India, in fact, China's relations with many other countries could improve. Because countries like Canada, European Union [states], Mexico, Russia are all now targets of similar sanctions. And in that sense China, can take the lead in building close connection and consultations with all these countries who are friends, allies and adversaries of the United States, and the United States could end up being isolated in world affairs," said Singh.