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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that US tariffs on India are indirectly affecting Russia. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to explain his plans on Ukraine.
Rutte told CNN at the UN General Assembly, “Trump’s tariffs on India are having a big impact on Russia. Delhi is on the phone with Putin, and Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs.”
Last month, US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on India for what it termed as unfair trade practices and an additional 25% aimed at penalizing New Delhi for continuing to purchase Russian oil. The combined tariffs, announced by Trump, took effect on August 27.
According to the US administration, the measures are intended to dissuade India from buying Russian oil, which Washington argues provides indirect support to Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Trump has further urged NATO members to implement 100% tariffs on China to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
In addition, Trump signaled that he is prepared to introduce what he described as “major sanctions” against Russia.
India Denounces 50% Tariffs as Discriminatory
New Delhi has sharply condemned Washington’s move, calling the tariff structure unfair and discriminatory. Indian officials argue that the country is being singled out, even as European nations continue to import Russian energy in large volumes. They highlighted that Europe’s trade with Russia amounted to EUR 67.5 billion in goods during 2024 and EUR 17.2 billion in services in 2023, despite the ongoing conflict. This, India says, underscores a double standard, as no equivalent punitive steps have been directed at European countries despite their significant commercial dealings with Moscow.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The Russia-Ukraine conflict began with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces in February 2022. Since then, it has evolved into a prolonged and devastating war marked by intense fighting.