US President Donald Trump cautioned about new "secondary sanctions" for trading partners of Moscow when questioned on why India was being "singled out" for its dealings with Russia, overlooking other countries that also purchase Russian energy. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order imposing an extra 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, in addition to an existing 25 percent duty, due to significant purchases of Russian oil.
In response to a journalist asking why he was targeting India for these extra sanctions while other nations like China also buy Russian oil, Trump replied, "It's only been 8 hours. So let's see what happens. You're going to see a lot more... You're going to see so many secondary sanctions."
Although India has become a significant partner for Washington in its strategic competition with China lately, its substantial trade surplus with the US and strong ties to Russia—which Trump is trying to persuade to reach a peace deal with Ukraine—have made New Delhi a major target in the Republican president's global tariff strategy.
His remark suggesting that India could purchase oil from its long-time rival Pakistan hasn't been well-received in New Delhi. In a notably strong statement this week, India accused the US of hypocrisy for targeting it over Russian oil imports while the US itself continues to purchase Russian uranium hexafluoride, palladium, and fertilizer.
On Wednesday, New Delhi described the tariffs as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable," pledging to "take all actions necessary to protect its national interests."
What's at Stake
Analysts indicate that Trump's recent actions could reverse two decades of diplomatic progress between Washington and New Delhi, potentially jeopardizing other areas of collaboration as domestic political pressures compel both sides to adopt firmer positions.
"India is caught in a bind: due to Trump's demands, Modi will cut back on oil imports from Russia, yet he can't openly acknowledge this without appearing to yield to Trump's coercion," Ashley Tellis from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington told Reuters.
"We may be on the brink of an unnecessary crisis that could dismantle 25 years of hard-earned achievements with India," she noted.
Evan Feigenbaum, a former senior State Department official during George W. Bush's Republican administration, cautioned that relations with India might become a "pawn in American domestic politics."
"Issues that directly involve India are some of the most divisive and volatile in Washington, including immigration and deportation, H1B visas for tech workers, offshoring and overseas manufacturing by U.S. firms, as well as technology sharing and co-innovation with foreign nations," he mentioned in a LinkedIn post.