The US is intensifying pressure on the EU to sanction India over trade with Russia.
Washington wants European countries to adopt tariffs similar to those imposed by the US on New Delhi, amid trade disputes linked to Russian oil.
247 - The United States has increased pressure on the European Union to impose additional tariffs on India due to its continued oil trade with Russia. Washington had already applied a 50% surcharge on Indian products, a measure taken after the failure of trade negotiations and the continuation of Russian energy imports by New Delhi, according to reports published by the Axios and India Today news portals.
According to AxiosThe White House is urging Europeans to expand the economic blockade against Moscow, going so far as to demand "a complete cessation of all oil and gas purchases from Russia" and the implementation of secondary tariffs not only on India but also on China. The report also highlighted that authorities in Washington are "losing patience" with European leaders, seen as resistant to imposing greater sacrifices on the continent's economy in the name of the war in Ukraine.
Disagreements among Western allies
A senior White House official, quoted by AxiosHe even stated: “Europeans cannot prolong this war by fueling unrealistic expectations and still expect the United States to bear the costs. If Europe wants to escalate the conflict, it will be on its own, but it will be digging its own grave.”
Already India Today It was reported that Washington wants the European Union to fully copy its measures against India, including a complete halt to oil and gas imports. To date, European authorities have not officially commented on the pressure from Washington.
Strategic trade between India and the European Union
Currently, the European Union is India's second-largest trading partner, responsible for goods transactions totaling €120 billion (approximately US$140 billion), equivalent to 11,5% of all Indian foreign trade. Any retaliatory measure from Brussels could directly impact strategic sectors of the Indian economy.
The US, in turn, had begun imposing a 25% tariff on Indian products in August 2024 after the collapse of trade talks, later adding another 25% surcharge linked to purchases of Russian oil. US President Donald Trump justified the measure by claiming that Indian imports of energy and weapons from Moscow were indirectly financing the conflict in Ukraine.
Indian resistance and Russian support
Faced with the pressure, India's Trade Minister, Piyush Goyal, was categorical: New Delhi will not "bow" to Washington's demands and will focus its efforts on expanding its trade relations to new markets. Moscow, in turn, condemned the US tariffs against India, reinforcing that "sovereign nations have the right to choose their trading partners."
As the tariff dispute intensifies, leaders from India, China, Russia, and other countries sought to strengthen multilateral cooperation during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Tianjin. The meeting signaled the consolidation of alliances alternative to the Western axis amid global geopolitical tensions.
(With information from RT news agency)
