- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:40 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
India-US tariffs:Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has strongly criticised the United States for what he called “pressure tactics” against India and China over trade and energy purchases, saying Washington’s threats of tariffs are proving ineffective. Speaking on Russia’s state-run Channel 1 TV programme The Great Game, Lavrov cautioned the Trump administration against issuing ultimatums to countries like India and China, calling them “ancient civilisations” that would never yield to such pressure.
“Both China and India are ancient civilisations. And talking to them like, ‘either you stop doing what I don’t like or I’ll impose tariffs on you,’ won’t work,” Lavrov said during the broadcast. “The ongoing contacts between Beijing and Washington, between New Delhi and Washington, show that the American side understands it too.”
Lavrov also addressed the growing list of sanctions imposed on Moscow by the US and its allies. He said Russia had already adapted to years of restrictions and would continue to do so.
“Frankly speaking, I don’t see any problem with the new sanctions imposed on Russia,” Lavrov told Channel 1. “An enormous amount of sanctions, unprecedented for that period, were imposed during President Donald Trump’s first term. Later, during President Joe Biden’s term, sanctions were used as a replacement for any diplomatic effort. There was no search for a compromise.”
US Tariff Threats Against India
Over the past two months, US President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his tariff measures on Indian goods, doubling duties from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. The move came after New Delhi continued its oil imports from Russia despite repeated warnings from Washington.
“Besides the fact that this undermines the economic well-being of those countries, it creates very serious difficulties for them, forcing them to seek new markets and new sources of energy supplies,” Lavrov remarked. “But more importantly, there is a moral and political opposition to this approach.”
Trump’s White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has repeatedly attacked India, calling it the “maharaja of tariffs.” In a September 15 interview with CNBC International, Navarro accused Indian refiners of “being in bed with Russian refiners” and claimed elites were profiteering at the expense of local workers.
India Pushes Back, Defends Oil Purchases
India has rejected US criticism, describing Washington’s actions as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” Officials in New Delhi maintain that the country’s energy purchases are based on national interest and market dynamics, not politics. Despite the Trump administration’s tough rhetoric, the US president recently adopted a softer tone towards India. Just days after wishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi a happy birthday, Trump said, “I am very close to India, I am very close to the PM of India. We have a very good relationship.”
The tariff dispute has cast a shadow over ongoing India-US trade negotiations. While both sides had earlier discussed an interim deal to ease duties, Washington’s latest tariff hike has complicated the talks.