US President Donald Trump has claimed that India offered to reduce tariffs on American goods, while criticizing New Delhi’s energy ties with Russia. His remarks come days after Washington imposed steep 50% tariffs on Indian exports, including a 25% penalty over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
India, however, has stated that it will prioritize the energy security of its 1.4 billion citizens. Officials have called the U.S. tariffs “unfair and unjustified,” saying Russian oil supplies are key to India’s growth and stability. In a similar tone, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India “will neither back down nor look weak” and emphasized that New Delhi will continue to be open to fair free-trade agreements while protecting national interests.
The comments also coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s active role at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi described his conversations with Putin as “meaningful” which underscores India’s independent mode of pursuing global partnerships.
India’s firm position signals its intention to defend strategic autonomy, which requires national needs taking actual precedence over outside social pressures in economic policies.
