Vladimir Putin says US pressure won’t affect India-Russia ties, calls partnership strong

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that despite the United States’ pressure on India, bilateral ties between Moscow and New Delhi remain strong. Speaking in St. Petersburg, Putin noted that attempts to pressure Prime Minister Narendra Modi are counterproductive to international and bilateral relations.

“Another thing is that the US is trying to put pressure on India in some matters. For example, when it comes to cooperation with Russia on some tracks. But everyone has understood that putting pressure on Narendra Modi, who has the largest population in the world, is detrimental for international relations and for bilateral relations,” he said.

Putin emphasised that Russia has not witnessed any serious negative consequences from the current situation and remains confident that all parties can reach mutually acceptable understandings.

“We don't see any negative consequences. I think that we can come to an agreement with all the participants in this process…,” the Russian president added.

Reaffirming Russia’s commitment to its partnership with India, Putin described India as a highly reliable partner and said cooperation between the two countries will continue to expand.

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“As of today, I would say, there are no serious repercussions emanating from the state of affairs. We are developing our ties with India and will continue doing that, and we deem India to be a very reliable partner…,” Putin noted. The Russian president is scheduled to visit India on September 12-13 for the BRICS Summit.

His comments followed as India is facing a challenging diplomatic relationship with the US under President Donald Trump’s second term.

In August 2025, Trump imposed 50% tariff on India, which includes a 25% penalty for purchasing Russian oil and weapons. The measures were aimed at pressuring India and limiting Russia’s war funding in Ukraine.

However, in February, the US and India issued a joint statement outlining that they had reached a framework for a Bilateral Trade Agreement. Under the proposed deal, US tariffs on Indian goods are expected to fall from 50% to 18%. This includes the removal of penalties linked to Russian oil imports and reduced trade barriers.

Days later, the US Supreme Court ruled against Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs on February 20. The decision is expected to influence ongoing trade negotiations between the US and India.