Canadian Industrialist Kirk Lubimov Red Flags Trump’s Tariff Strategy, Terms It A “Geopolitical Miscalculation”
Amid escalating trade tensions between the United States and India, Canadian industrialist Kirk Lubimov has sharply criticised former President Donald Trump’s latest policy moves, calling them a “massive long-term miscalculation” that risks undermining America’s global influence while failing to recognise the critical geopolitics of the region.
Lubimov, Chairman of the industrial group Testbed and a frequent commentator on international economic strategy, issued his remarks following Trump’s decision to slap a 25% tariff on Indian goods and threaten further penalties over India’s trade dealings with Russia. Lubimov’s statement, which circulated widely on social media and business news sites, contends that Trump’s tariff-centric approach is “strategically flawed” and dangerously narrow in scope.
In his words: “The biggest problem with Donald Trump’s tariff approach is that it has zero consideration for geopolitical strategy. Trump is now picking a fight with India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, whose Prime Minister, Modi, is probably the most universally respected and has significant influence in many key countries”.
Lubimov argued that, instead of confrontation, the U.S. should view India as a strategic ally—especially in efforts to offset China’s and the wider BRICS bloc’s growing dominance.
Kirk Lubimov is a billionaire Canadian industrialist and head of Testbed, known for his outspokenness on global supply chains, manufacturing strategy, and North American economic competitiveness. He is frequently quoted in business media and participates in international forums on trade, energy, and technology policy.
“The name of the game is to weaken China’s and BRICS’ growth, which India is a part of and could be a natural country to move production to from China. America isn’t going to manufacture 50-cent toothbrushes. Instead of using a hammer and nail approach with India, it should be economic cooperation, and bring in Canada to help meet natural resources needs,” he said, echoing his stance that the realignment of global supply chains away from China is impossible without a robust partnership with India.
Lubimov warned that India—now a powerhouse in both economic growth and international diplomacy—thinks “long term.” For nations like India, he said, a single 4-year U.S. presidential term is little more than “a hiccup.” Framing the dispute as more than just a bilateral trade row, Lubimov emphasised how alienating India could squander opportunities not only to contain China but also to develop lucrative new trade and energy partnerships that benefit all North American stakeholders, including Canada.
Industry analysts have echoed Lubimov’s warnings, noting that India’s strategic ties with Russia and its market scale make it an essential partner for any U.S.-led effort to rebalance both trade and geopolitical influence in Asia. As India ramps up imports of Russian crude oil and continues to attract global manufacturers exiting China, many experts believe Trump’s adversarial strategy could backfire—driving India into closer alignment with America’s competitors.