A confidential outreach from Beijing has come to light. According to Bloomberg, Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote a secret letter to Indian President Droupadi Murmu in March 2025, urging New Delhi to join hands with Beijing against US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. Five months later, the details of this message have finally been revealed.

What Was in the Letter?

The letter reportedly laid out China’s roadmap to counter Trump’s tariff war, which had escalated to nearly 250% on some goods. Xi urged India to coordinate on trade measures and rebuild bilateral ties that had suffered after border tensions. Intriguingly, the Chinese President also referred to an unnamed “key individual” who, according to him, could play a vital role in striking an understanding. Bloomberg, however, withheld the identity of this figure.

Why Did Xi Turn to India?

At that time, Beijing was under severe economic pressure from Washington. Xi wanted to ensure China did not appear weakened and sought India’s silent backing. The request was kept highly confidential, signaling the sensitivity of Beijing’s position.

India’s Response: Strategic Silence

New Delhi, however, chose not to respond immediately. For three months, India maintained complete silence. Only after the US-China tariff war began easing in mid-2025 did India open diplomatic channels. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval traveled to Beijing, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later visited New Delhi—marking a cautious reset in ties.

Trump’s Two Strategic Blunders

Analysts quoted by Bloomberg argue that Trump pushed India closer to China with two major missteps:

1. Claiming that Pakistan had agreed to a “ceasefire” with India—a remark that deeply angered New Delhi.

2. Threatening to impose 50% tariffs on Indian exports, which strained decades of Indo-US goodwill.

The outcome: Washington risked losing its oldest South Asian partner, while Beijing and New Delhi quietly began exploring new trade understandings.