Russia Backs India Amid Trump Tariffs, Calls US Pressure “Unjustified”

TDT | Manama

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Russia has thrown its weight behind India after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs in response to New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian crude oil, calling the move “unjustified” and “unilateral.”

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said that Moscow welcomed Indian exports if they faced hurdles in the US market due to the sanctions.

“If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is open. The sanctions are hitting those who impose them. We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue despite external pressure,” Babushkin stated.

The Russian envoy stressed that energy ties between Moscow and New Delhi were built on “mutual accommodation and complementarity,” with Russia serving as India’s largest crude supplier. He noted that India’s energy needs were growing year after year, making the partnership essential.

Tariffs Amid Ukraine War Pressure

The comments come a day after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Trump had approved additional tariffs on India as part of Washington’s efforts to weaken Moscow’s financing of the Ukraine conflict. The new 25 per cent duty on Indian goods is set to take effect on August 27, and in some cases will double to 50 per cent — the highest US tariff level currently applied.

India strongly condemned the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” warning that key export sectors such as textiles, leather, and marine products would be hit hardest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier vowed that New Delhi would not bow to economic coercion. “India will stand firm in protecting its national interests,” he said.

“West Behaves Like Neocolonial Powers”

Babushkin argued that the US strategy was rooted in “double standards” and “neocolonial behavior,” claiming that Western countries seek their own benefit while undermining others.

“If India refuses Russian oil, it will not lead to equal cooperation with the West. That is not in their nature, as recent years have clearly demonstrated,” he said.

He added that Russia and its BRICS partners — Brazil, India, China, and South Africa — do not impose unilateral sanctions, describing secondary sanctions as “illegal tools of economic weaponisation.”

Despite years of sanctions, Babushkin highlighted that Russia’s trade with India had expanded sevenfold in recent years, underscoring the resilience of the partnership.

Strategic Partnership Undeterred

The Russian diplomat also pointed to a recent phone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Modi as proof of the depth of bilateral trust.

“India matters a lot to Russia. Even in difficult circumstances, we are committed to finding solutions that serve both nations,” Babushkin said.

He added that Washington’s actions showed a lack of respect toward India as a supposed ally: “Friends do not behave like that. Sanctions reflect blackmail, double standards, and a lack of trust.”

Outlook

With External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar currently in Moscow for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, officials on both sides are expected to reaffirm long-term energy and trade cooperation.

For now, India finds itself balancing between two major powers, but New Delhi has made it clear it will not abandon Russian oil — a stance that cements its energy security while exposing it to growing economic pressure from Washington.