US Imposes 50% Tariffs on India to Pressure Russia on Ukraine War

In 2025, President Donald Trump imposed significant tariffs on Indian goods, including a doubling to 50%, as a strategic measure to exert 'secondary pressure' on Russia to end its war in Ukraine. The sanctions target India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil, reflecting the White House's aggressive stance against nations perceived to aid Moscow. Russian officials, including Deputy Trade Representative Evgeniy Griva and Embassy Charge d'Affaires Roman Babushkin, condemned the tariffs as 'blackmail' and 'unlawful competition,' emphasizing the strong and growing trade ties between Russia and India, with a goal of reaching $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. Babushkin highlighted that India is Russia's fourth-largest trading partner and stressed that the Russian market remains open for Indian goods despite U.S. pressure. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to pursue diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine conflict, arranging potential talks between Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy, while emphasizing that U.S. military involvement in Ukraine would be limited to support roles, leaving ground forces to European allies. These developments illustrate the complexity of U.S.-India-Russia relations amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding the Ukraine war.