The United States has signalled a potential escalation in secondary tariffs on India if peace talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin fail this week in Alaska, raising new questions about the limits of India’s strategic autonomy in a rapidlypolarising world order.
In comments that have drawn sharp international attention, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explicitly linked future penalties on India to the outcome of the high-stakes summit between Trump and Putin. “We’ve put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil,” Bessent said
in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “And I could see, if things don’t go well, and then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up.”
The remarks, coming just days ahead of the Trump-Putin summit, have put New Delhi in an uncomfortable diplomatic position. India has consistently maintained a policy of balancing relations between major powers, including long-standing ties with Moscow and an expanding strategic partnership with Washington.
Yet, India appears unwilling to be drawn into what it sees as a binary geopolitical contest. In a measured response on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated the strength of India-US ties while subtly emphasising independence.
“India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties,” said an MEA spokesperson. “We remain focused on the substantive agenda... and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
Earlier this month, the US had already slapped a fresh 25 per cent penalty on Indian imports — atop existing tariffs — citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil and military equipment as a key factor. The move was seen by some analysts as an attempt by Washington to use economic leverage to isolate Moscow diplomatically and economically.
Experts say the US approach reflects growing frustration over India’s reluctance to fully align with the Western sanction regime against Russia.
President Trump has openly called on European allies to follow Washington’s lead, stating that countries unwilling to impose secondary sanctions are undermining the effort to pressure Moscow into a ceasefire in Ukraine.
“The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions,” Bessent said. “The Europeans need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions.”
India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has defended its energy purchases from Russia as essential for economic stability, arguing that its decisions are based on national interest, not ideological alignments. At the same time, India has deepened defence, technological and commercial ties with the US in recent years, making the relationship a complex web of cooperation and contention.
As Trump prepares for what could be a decisive summit with Putin, India will be watching closely - but not necessarily recalibrating its position.