Russian minister hopes US-India trade deal does not hamper Delhi-Moscow ties
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Photo: Reuters
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said Moscow hopes the recently announced India–US trade arrangement will not come at the cost of New Delhi’s relationship with Russia.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday, Ryabkov indicated that although trade between India and Russia was already substantial, there remained significant untapped potential, adding that India had the capacity to maintain economic engagement with multiple partners.
His comments followed Washington’s decision to roll back an additional 25% punitive tariff imposed on Indian goods last August over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude. The levy had pushed total US tariffs on Indian imports to 50%. On February 7, US President Donald Trump withdrew the extra duty after the two countries agreed on a framework for an interim trade deal, reducing the effective tariff rate to 18%.
A White House executive order had linked the rollback of the punitive tariff to India’s commitment to halt direct or indirect imports of Russian oil. The US has repeatedly argued that India’s oil purchases from Russia contributed to sustaining the war in Ukraine, a claim New Delhi has countered by stressing that such imports were driven by its energy security needs, Scroll.in reported.
Ryabkov told the newspaper that he hoped the outcome of the India–US trade deal would not result in strain or complications in India–Russia bilateral ties. He also criticised Washington’s broader approach, suggesting that the US sought exclusive advantages while denying space to others, which he described as a deeply unilateral stance.
He further said it was unacceptable for the US to link trade relations to the Ukraine conflict or to pressure other countries to cut off economic ties with Russia.
India, meanwhile, continues to source crude oil from multiple countries, with Russia accounting for close to a quarter of its total oil imports, according to The Hindu. However, imports from Russia fell to a 38-month low in December, and major refiners such as Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Reliance Industries have reportedly refrained from placing advance orders for April.
