The looming threat of intensified tariffs and sanctions continues to underscore the US’s iron-fist approach towards pressuring India over ties with Russia.
The US Treasury Secretary issued a stern warning that the Donald Trump administration may escalate its punitive trade actions against India through additional secondary tariffs. The final decision, news reports quoted him as saying, hinges on the outcome of an upcoming high-stakes meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking to a media outlet, said that further secondary sanctions against India could be implemented if the talks on Friday fail to produce favourable results. He stated that secondary tariffs had already been imposed on Indians for purchasing Russian oil, and indicated that if discussions go poorly, those sanctions or tariffs might increase.
Trump has already imposed a 25 per cent penalty on Indian imports, along with an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian purchases of Russian oil and weapons. The administration has levelled accusations against New Delhi, alleging that it is indirectly financing Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. This has brought total tariffs to 50 per cent.
The Indian government waited before responding appropriately. India condemned the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” It defended its oil imports from Russia as essential for national energy security.
In an interview, Bessent characterised India as “a bit recalcitrant” during trade negotiations. Talks between New Delhi and Washington broke down earlier this month, prompting Trump to announce their suspension, citing not only trade with Russia but reportedly other unresolved concerns as well.
Meanwhile, trade negotiations are expected to resume, with US officials scheduled to arrive in India on 25 August—just two days before the new 50 per cent tariff rate on Indian goods takes effect. Nonetheless, experts anticipate persistent friction, particularly over India’s protection of its agriculture and dairy sectors, which continues to be a major obstacle.
Trump and Putin are slated to meet on Friday to explore avenues for ending the Ukraine conflict, now in its fourth year. The US President, who has taken on a self-assigned role of mediator, warned there would be “severe consequences” if Russia refuses to agree to a ceasefire.
According to Trump, the summit in Alaska is intended to gauge Putin’s openness to negotiating peace. He described the encounter as a “feel-out meeting,” with the stated goal of brokering an agreement to end the war. Trump had previously floated the controversial idea of “some swapping of territories” as part of a possible peace deal, an idea Ukraine has firmly rejected, citing constitutional barriers to any territorial compromise.
The risk of a one-sided settlement remains high.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has been candid. He has said that any peace deal without Kyiv’s involvement is unacceptable. He stressed that Ukraine will not give up any territory to Russia.
European officials have voiced these concerns. They have cautioned that Ukraine’s exclusion from the dialogues could lead to an agreement skewed in favour of Moscow.
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