India Hits Back at U.S. Pressure, Deepens Trade Ties with Russia
By Sanjeev Oak
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s Moscow visit reaffirmed India’s steady ties with Russia even as Washington pressed its tariff warning. New Delhi underlined that decisions on energy and trade will remain anchored in national interest and strategic autonomy.
In a week that saw Washington raise tariffs and issue thinly veiled threats, India responded with a firm reminder that its foreign policy will not be dictated from abroad. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow, capped by a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, has underscored New Delhi’s resolve to deepen its energy and trade links with Russia — even as the United States tries to tighten the screws.
U.S. warning and tariffs
The Biden administration’s move to slap additional tariffs on Indian goods — and an extra duty targeting crude purchases from Russia — was meant as a warning shot. American officials argued that India’s deepening energy partnership with Moscow undermines the “rules-based order.”
But New Delhi sees the charge as not just misplaced, but hypocritical. The U.S. itself continues to import Russian LNG through intermediaries, while Europe has quietly sustained energy linkages with Moscow.
“We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil. That is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG. That is the European Union,” Jaishankar shot back in Moscow.
By calling out Washington’s selective outrage, India sought to turn the spotlight on double standards — exposing the gap between American rhetoric and Western practice.
India’s blunt message
In a strikingly unambiguous statement, the External Affairs Minister reminded his counterparts that India has acted responsibly in global energy markets. When oil prices spiked, New Delhi purchased from Russia to stabilise supplies worldwide — often at the behest of Western capitals.
“We have done everything asked of us to stabilise the global energy market. To now penalise us is unjustified,” Jaishankar said.
Such direct language reflects a shift in tone: India is no longer content with carefully worded diplomatic hedges. It is willing to confront Washington’s pressure openly, signalling confidence in its global standing.
Moscow’s timely embrace
The timing of Jaishankar’s Moscow visit could not have been more telling. Even as Washington unveiled new penalties, Russia rolled out proposals to expand trade beyond hydrocarbons.
President Putin spoke of strengthening supply chains in fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture, while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to joint ventures in the Arctic and the Russian Far East.
“We have good results in hydrocarbons. We now seek to broaden the base of our cooperation,” Lavrov declared.
Bilateral trade, which had stood at barely $13 billion before the Ukraine conflict, has now surged past $60 billion. For Russia, India is a vital Asian market. For India, Moscow remains a steady partner in energy, defense, and critical raw materials.
A special mechanism against sanctions
Perhaps the most striking development was Moscow’s announcement of a “special system” to protect Indian oil imports from U.S. sanctions. By insulating energy flows through alternate payment channels and shipping guarantees, Russia signaled that it will ensure uninterrupted supplies regardless of Western moves.
For New Delhi, this guarantees affordable energy and food security at a time when global volatility remains high. For Moscow, it demonstrates resilience in the face of isolation.
“Western pressure is unjustified and extremely unfortunate. Supplies to India will continue unhindered,” Russian officials affirmed.
The strategic balancing act
India’s message is not that it has chosen Moscow over Washington. Rather, it is that strategic autonomy is non-negotiable. New Delhi will trade with Russia, deepen defense ties with the U.S., court European investment, and engage West Asia — all simultaneously.
But what makes this episode significant is the tone. The bluntness of Jaishankar’s remarks marks a new phase. India is no longer content to quietly absorb pressure; it is asserting its right to chart an independent course.
“Relations between India and Russia have been among the steadiest of the major relationships in the world after the Second World War,” Jaishankar reminded.
This assertion carries weight. India’s partnerships are not transactional; they are embedded in decades of trust, especially with Moscow.
Washington’s miscalculation
The U.S. tariff gamble could prove counterproductive. Instead of forcing India’s hand, it has accelerated New Delhi’s outreach to Moscow. Far from weakening the Russia connection, Washington’s punitive approach may have consolidated it.
At the same time, Washington risks denting its own strategic bet. The U.S. has invested heavily in positioning India as a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific. By alienating New Delhi with tariffs and lectures, it may be undermining that very strategy.
“India will pursue its interests with all nations, including Russia, without external diktats,” the MEA stressed.
India draws a red line
The message from Moscow is unambiguous. India will not be cajoled, coerced, or cornered into abandoning its partnerships. It will balance relations, but on its own terms.
In confronting Washington’s double standards and embracing Moscow’s trade outreach, India has signaled a defining principle: strategic autonomy is not a slogan, but the bedrock of foreign policy.
This is more than a diplomatic skirmish. It is a moment when India drew a red line — and the world took notice.