Washington, DC:US Vice President JD Vance has said that President Donald Trump’s steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports were designed to provide “aggressive
economic leverage” to compel Russia to halt its strikes in Ukraine. Despite complications after Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vance insisted that Washington could still help broker peace.
Speaking on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Vance explained, “Trump has applied aggressive economic leverage, for example, secondary tariffs on India, to try to make it harder for the Russians to profit from their oil economy.”
Vice President Vance added that progress had already been made. “We believe we’ve seen some significant concessions from both sides in just the past few weeks,” he said. According to him, Trump has offered Russia a way back into the global economy if it ends its military campaign, while warning that continued attacks would only deepen Moscow’s isolation.
India–US ties under strain
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have cooled since the Trump administration began criticising India for buying discounted Russian crude oil. Notably, the US has avoided similar criticism of China and European countries, even though they remain the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Earlier this month, Trump announced that tariffs on Indian goods would be raised to 50 per cent, including an extra 25 per cent duty linked directly to India’s Russian oil imports. Washington argues these purchases indirectly fund Moscow’s war, an allegation India strongly rejects.
India’s stance
New Delhi maintains that its energy purchases are based on national needs and market conditions. After Western sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2022, India turned to discounted Russian crude to secure supplies.
Responding to criticism at an event in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “It’s odd for a pro-business American administration to accuse others of doing business. If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, don’t buy them. Nobody forces you. But Europe buys, America buys—so if you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”
