The U.S. is pushing EU nations to impose additional tariffs on India for its continued oil imports from Russia, mirroring its own 50% levies on Indian goods. The move comes as Washington accuses India of indirectly fueling the Ukraine conflict through its purchases of Russian oil and weapons.
The White House, as reported by sources, is seeking to expand the scope of economic pressure on Moscow by encouraging the EU to halt all oil and gas imports from Russia and impose secondary tariffs on other nations like China and India. This move reflects growing frustration within the U.S. administration regarding the EU’s perceived reluctance to take stronger action against Russia, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. White House officials have warned that the EU’s hesitation could undermine broader efforts to address the conflict, with one official stating that Europe might risk ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ if it continues to delay decisive measures.
The U.S. first imposed a 5’ttariff on Indian goods in early August after trade talks collapsed, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and weapons as a factor in the Ukraine conflict. Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal has vowed that New Delhi will not ‘bow down’ to U.S. pressure, instead focusing on expanding trade ties with other nations while the U.S. and Russia continue their diplomatic and economic rivalry.
Moscow has denounced U.S. tariffs on India, emphasizing that sovereign nations have the right to choose their trading partners. As the tariff dispute intensified, leaders from India, China, Russia, and other states met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, indicating a coordinated effort to counter the U.S. economic pressure and maintain regional trade dynamics.