Citing India’s high tariffs and non-tariff barriers that allegedly impede U.S. exports, the United States recently announced a reciprocal tariff of 26% on Indian imports. This action, which takes effect on April 9, is a component of President Donald Trump’s larger trade strategy, which aims to prioritize domestic industry and rebalance the dynamics of international trade. Referring to the announcement as a “declaration of economic independence,” Trump emphasized that the reciprocal measure was justified by India’s 52% tariff on U.S. goods.
India has been measured in its initial response to the tariffs, characterizing them as a “mixed bag” as opposed to a setback. In order to address shared concerns, the Indian Commerce Ministry is analyzing the possible impact while maintaining bilateral trade talks with the United States. According to experts, these tariffs might put pressure on India to speed up trade talks or look into forming closer ties with other trade blocs.
Russia’s Deputy Chief of Mission in India, Roman Babushkin, responded to this development by highlighting how resilient India-Russian relations are in the face of outside pressure. According to him, the two countries’ relations are “immune from negative external factors” and have always been sincere and complex.
Babushkin emphasized Russia’s faith in its alliance with India, pointing to their decades-long, unbroken collaboration and shared values. This declaration highlights Russia’s assistance to India in the face of difficult external conditions and may portend future chances to deepen bilateral relations.
“Honest, time-tested, and immune from external negative influence,” he said, emphasizing the relationship’s multifaceted nature and continuous contact in spite of outside pressures like U.S. tariffs.
Babushkin also promised that the two countries’ economic and trade ties would keep expanding for their mutual advantage.
Babushkin emphasized that the partnership is special because it is founded on shared values and is devoid of unfair treatment.
These statements, which took place in conjunction with Russia’s National Day celebrations, further highlighted the mutual trust and historical depth that define India-Russia cooperation.
Additionally, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov highlighted important bilateral milestones that demonstrate the partnership’s enduring strength, such as industrialization projects, power plant constructions, and strategic agreements over decades.