The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats have strongly criticised President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods due to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The committee argued that these tariffs against India will not deter Russian President Vladimir Putin or end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
They stressed that the tariffs serve as a distraction from effectively addressing Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Instead, the Democrats urged that the US should focus on providing Ukraine with the necessary military aid and directly punishing Putin to achieve any progress.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the committee said, “Tariffing India won’t stop Putin. If Trump really wanted to address Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, maybe punish Putin and give Ukraine the military aid it needs. Everything else is smoke and mirrors.”
This criticism came alongside comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who defended the administration’s use of escalating tariffs on India for its Russian oil purchases. Bessent explained in an interview that the US had imposed secondary tariffs on India over this issue and hinted that more sanctions or increased secondary tariffs could follow if outcomes from President Trump’s recent high-level meeting with Putin did not go as hoped.
The Trump-Putin meeting held in Alaska was described as “productive” and “constructive” but closed without a breakthrough on Ukraine. Bessent further noted that Trump would make it clear to Putin that all options remain on the table, signalling possible leverage tactics including sanctions against other countries involved in Russian oil trade, such as China.
Bessent also emphasised the need for European allies to join in these sanctions and secondary tariffs for them to be effective in pressuring Russia. He remarked on the difficulty of securing unified European support for imposing harsh secondary tariffs, illustrating the geopolitical complexities involved.
Meanwhile, many Democrats and some Republicans have voiced concerns that Trump’s tariff actions risk damaging the historically strong and strategic partnership between the US and India. They argue that the tariffs might push India closer to Russia and China instead of deterring Russia.
Prominent Democratic representatives, including Gregory Meeks, highlighted the deep economic, strategic, and people-to-people ties between the US and India, urging that concerns be addressed respectfully and in alignment with democratic values.
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats contend that tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases are ineffective for stopping Putin or ending the Ukraine war. They call for direct, robust aid to Ukraine and harsher measures targeted specifically at Russia and Putin, while cautioning that the tariff strategy risks alienating an important US partner in India and does not address the root of the conflict.
Based On ANI Report
