Russian President cautions West against domination; Trump doubles tariffs on India to 50%
Beijing/New Delhi, September 3, 2025 (NDTV):
Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly defended India in the wake of the United States’ decision to double tariffs on New Delhi, warning that the West cannot continue to treat rising powers with a colonial-era mindset.
Speaking at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Putin declared that all nations must have equal rights under international law and cautioned against attempts by any single country to dominate global politics.
“Countries have had difficult periods in their history, such as colonialism and prolonged attacks on sovereignty. Now that the colonial era is over, they have to realise that they cannot use this tone in speaking with their partners,” Putin said.
Putin’s Warning to the West
The Russian leader emphasised that India and China are now economic giants, each with unique political systems and domestic laws. Any attempt to “punish” them, he warned, would backfire.
“If one of them shows weakness, his political career will be over,” Putin said, underscoring the political cost of appearing submissive to Western pressure.
US Tariffs on India
Putin’s remarks came just days after US President Donald Trump’s administration announced sweeping new tariffs, raising duties on Indian goods from 25% to 50% effective August 27, 2025.
- Half of the increase was aimed at penalising New Delhi for maintaining Russian oil imports despite Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
- The other half falls under Trump’s “America First” policy, designed to cut trade deficits by targeting major exporters.
India is the only country hit by these “secondary tariffs”, even though China remains a major buyer of Russian crude.
Sharp Words from Washington
Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuing close ties with Moscow and Beijing.
“It is a shame to see Modi getting in bed with Xi Jinping and Putin. I’m not sure what he’s thinking. We hope he comes around to seeing that he needs to be with us and not Russia,” Navarro said.
Navarro further accused India of “funding Putin’s war” through oil purchases, arguing that Moscow’s revenues from crude sales were helping sustain its military campaign in Ukraine.
India’s Response
New Delhi has rejected Washington’s tariff escalation as “unjustified and discriminatory.” Officials have defended India’s right to purchase crude oil from Russia on economic and energy security grounds, stressing that the country’s growing economy requires affordable energy imports.
Experts view the sudden tariff surge as a setback in US-India ties after decades of closer trade and strategic cooperation.
The Geopolitical Picture
Putin’s defense of India highlights Moscow’s continued efforts to rally non-Western powers against Washington’s sanctions and trade restrictions. His remarks also underscore the fragile but strategic alignment between India, Russia, and China—seen most recently during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit attended by Modi, Putin, and Xi.
With the tariff battle escalating, analysts warn that India may now tilt further toward its Eurasian partners, complicating Washington’s attempts to isolate Moscow.
