Moscow has reaffirmed that its relationship with Delhi is “reliable and steadily progressing,” warning that any effort to disrupt the alliance will fail. The message comes amid Washington pressing allies to impose tariffs on India over its continued imports of Russian oil.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, speaking to state-media outlet RT, stated that India and Russia are engaged in a broad, strategic partnership that includes civilian and military production, nuclear power, oil exploration, space cooperation, and efforts to build alternative transport and logistics routes. India was praised for standing firm in the face of criticisms and external pressure. Moscow said these ties are founded on sovereignty, national interest, and “strategic autonomy.”
Pressure from the Washington side has escalated. The U. S. Treasury has urged G7 and EU nations to impose significant, possibly up to 100 percent, tariffs on countries like India and China for purchasing Russian crude, citing concerns those oil purchases are helping fund Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine. Earlier, the U. S. imposed a 25 percent base tariff on Indian imports, plus an additional 25 percent “penalty” tied to oil and defence trade with Russia—bringing total duties to 50 percent.
In reaction, the Indian government has consistently rejected claims that oil imports from Russia are indirectly financing the Ukraine conflict. Officials have described the U. S. measures as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” and defended India’s right to secure energy supplies based on economic considerations. India’s stance has also emphasised energy security, global market factors and that strategic autonomy guides its foreign policy.
Analysts say the standoff reflects deeper fault lines in global trade and geopolitics. For India, Russian oil has offered price advantages, especially amid global supply disruptions and volatile energy markets. Its reliance on overseas energy imports remains high, making such imports a matter not just of diplomacy but of economic necessity. Western capitals, however, view India’s oil trade with Russia as undermining sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow, raising questions about how coordinated international pressure can be maintained without significant economic blowback.
Some observers believe the U. S. push for broad tariffs may backfire if countries start seeking alternative suppliers, deepen partnerships with Russia, or double down on using national currencies and non-Western payment mechanisms. Moscow’s emphasis on joint infrastructure, logistics, and sovereign decision-making is seen by experts as designed to offer India mutually reinforcing options if global trading terms shift unfavourably.
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