“Allow us to be clear, this isn't about Russian oil. It's about India's power safety and strategic autonomy, which we must always by no means compromise,” Kant mentioned in a put up on X (previously Twitter), after President Donald Trump's 50% tariffs on main Indian items got here into impact.
Kant pointed to what he known as the irony of the US stance, noting that the US continues to interact with each Russia and China—Beijing being the world's largest purchaser of Russian crude—whereas penalising India. “The irony is putting: the US is actively negotiating with Russia and China, but chooses to focus on India with tariffs as an alternative,” he wrote.
He pressured that India has repeatedly refused to yield to world stress up to now and should stay steadfast now. “This second ought to be no totally different,” the previous G20 sherpa added.
Framing the tariff escalation as a possibility relatively than a setback, Kant mentioned the US motion should function a wake-up name for India. “Moderately than intimidate us, these world headwinds should galvanise India into daring, once-in-a-generation reforms, whereas additionally diversifying our export markets to safe long-term development and resilience.”
Commerce tensions rising
The tariffs, introduced earlier this 12 months, doubled present duties from 25% to 50% on a variety of Indian items. The transfer provides contemporary pressure to bilateral ties between New Delhi and Washington, whilst the 2 international locations proceed negotiations on an overarching commerce deal that might soften the tariff blow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week underlined that his authorities wouldn't compromise on defending farmers, small-scale industries, and different weak teams, even when “stress on us could enhance.”
