India has brushed off what it calls a “reckless tariff tirade”, New Delhi continues to stand by its trade relations with Moscow. At the same time, India is accusing the US of “double standards”…reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump has claimed that American tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil had delivered a “big blow” to Moscow, saying, “No one would have been so tough and I haven’t stopped there.”
Speaking at a White House briefing, Trump added, “[It] doesn’t help when the president of the United States tells their largest or second-largest oil buyer that we’re putting a 50% tariff on you if you buy oil from Russia.”
He said Russia has been “heavily impacted” by global pressure, including US trade actions on multiple countries. Last week, the White House announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, taking the total tariff on India to 50%. The move, Trump said, was in response to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. The additional tariffs will take effect on August 27.
However, India remains undeterred. Brushing off what it calls a “reckless tariff tirade”, New Delhi continues to stand by its trade relations with Moscow. At the same time, India is accusing the US of “double standards”.
Despite its tough stance, the US itself continues to import Russian chemicals and fertilisers. In a surprising twist — on August 6th — President Donald Trump claimed he had “no knowledge” that the US was still importing such products from Russia. That comment came just after India alleged that the United States continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry — along with fertilisers and other chemicals — all from Russia.
A day later, on August 7th, a senior US administration official confirmed that Russian chemical imports were indeed still entering the American market. But the official dismissed comparisons, stating that India imports billions of dollars’ worth of Russian goods, while US imports remain “modest.”
Following Trump’s announcement of a steep 50% tariff on Indian goods linked to trade with Russia, New Delhi issued a swift and pointed response. India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the U. move “extremely unfortunate.” In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.” New Delhi has also labelled the US tariffs as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
Noting that India has done the “right thing” by not caving in to the Trump administration’s pressure in trade talks to provide more access to the country’s agriculture and dairy sectors, former diplomat Vikas Swarup has said “the US called India a ‘Tariff King’ but now the ‘Tariff King’ in the world is the United States”.
In an interview with ANI, Vikas Swarup, who is a former High Commissioner to Canada, said steps being taken by the US President Donald Trump will eventually lead to ratcheting up inflation in America.
“US called India a ‘Tariff King’. But now the ‘Tariff King’ in the world is the United States because our average tariff is about 15.98%. The US tariff today is 18.4%. So, it is now the ‘Tariff King’ of the world. But the fact is, tariffs are bringing in money. They will bring in about a 100 billion dollars a year for the US. But the issue is that eventually who will pay for these tariffs? By American consumers. So, what’s going to happen is this is going to ratchet up inflation in America, it’s going to ratchet up prices in America. I think that’s when the chickens will come home to roost,” he said.
“If you cave in to a bully then the bully will increase his demands. Then there will be even more demands. So, I think we have done the right thing. India is too large, too proud a country to become a camp follower of any other country. Our strategic autonomy has been the bedrock of our foreign policy right from the 1950s. I don’t think that any Govt in Delhi can compromise on that,” says former diplomat Vikas Swarup on the tariff rift between India and the US,” he added.
President Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods plus an unspecified penalty in July, even as there were hopes of an interim India-US trade deal that would have otherwise helped avoid elevated tariffs. A few days later, he imposed another 25 per cent tariff, taking the total to 50 per cent, over India’s imports of Russian oil.
On Opposition questioning India’s Foreign Policy and diplomacy, Vikas Swarup said India should not cave in to any pressure as India’s strategic autonomy is non-negotiable
“Here, I would not blame our diplomats at all. I think what has happened is Pakistan, through some intermediaries, has gotten the ear of the US President and that is why, two visits by Asim Munir to Washington, the so-called “deal” with America on so-called “oil reserves” of Pakistan. More importantly, I think Pakistan is now trying to position itself as the ‘Crypto King’ of South Asia and there, through World Liberty Financial in which Trump’s family has stakes, Steve Witkoff’s family has a stake, through that I think Pakistan has managed to project an image of itself as a reliable partner…All these things have led to Trump having a softer approach towards Pakistan,” he said.
