The Russian Foreign Ministry praised India for continuing its cooperation with Moscow despite pressure from US President Donald Trump via tariffs.
The Russian Foreign Ministry praised India for continuing its cooperation with Moscow despite pressure from US President Donald Trump to cut ties by applying tariffs on Indian imports, asserting that any attempt to harm ties with New Delhi will fail.
While responding to questions from RT, the Russian ministry said it welcomed that India was showing its commitment to continue and expand multi-faceted cooperation with Russia, despite pressure and threats. Officials said that “frankly, anything else would be hard to imagine."
Relations between India and Russia are “steadily and confidently advancing," the ministry said, adding, “Any attempt to obstruct this process is destined to fail."
The remarks came after relations between India and the United States became acrimonious after Trump imposed 25 per cent reciprocal duties on Indian goods along with an additional 25 per cent levy tied to New Delhi’s imports of discounted Russian crude – bringing the total tariff burden to 50 per cent, among the steepest in the world.
India-Russia Ties
Trump has repeatedly accused India of “fueling Russia’s deadly attacks on Ukraine" by buying Russian oil, even while his administration has stopped short of imposing tougher sanctions directly on Moscow. India has condemned the tariffs as “unfair and unreasonable" and pointed out the US and Europe’s own purchases from Russia.
Despite pressure from Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved to solidify ties with China and Russia by attending the SCO Summit in Tianjin, where he held talks with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The Russian foreign ministry said India’s approach to its ties with Russia reflected “the spirit and traditions of long-standing friendship" and New Delhi’s “strategic autonomy in international affairs."
The partnership between India and Russia is based on “the highest value of sovereignty and the primacy of national interests" and the relationship has been “reliable, predictable and truly strategic in nature," it added.
Officials stated that the two countries are collaborating on large-scale joint projects across multiple sectors, including civilian and military production, manned space missions, nuclear energy, and Indian investments in Russian oil exploration initiatives.
Meanwhile, Trump recently acknowledged that his decision to impose steep tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian oil strained ties with New Delhi, even as he struck an optimistic note about ongoing trade negotiations. However, reports in international media suggested that the US has urged the G7 bloc and the European Union to impose 100% tariffs on imports from India and China.
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First Published:
September 14, 2025, 19:18 IST
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