Lavrov Praises India For Not Caving To US Tariffs Pressure

Moscow appreciates that India, among the largest economies on the planet, has not given in to US demands to stop purchasing its oil and other products, according to fresh remarks from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

After the close of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), he told Indonesian newspaper Kompas on Tuesday that India has successfully stood up for the principles of free trade. “US President Donald Trump, as everyone knows, not only threatened to introduce higher import tariffs on products from a number of Russia’s trading partners,” Lavrov said, as cited also in Russian media. 

“Such tariffs have already been introduced, for example, against India – our particularly privileged strategic partner, a major consumer of Russian goods, in particular, hydrocarbon raw materials,” the top Russian diplomat explained.

“We appreciate the fact that New Delhi did not bend under pressure and remains committed to the principles of free trade,” Lavrov continued. “The principles that the Americans have extolled for so many years, if not decades, and now the Americans have betrayed these principles.”

In his recent meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Lavrov told his counterpart, “This is a multipolar system of international relations with an increasing role played by SCO, BRICS and G20.”

Last month, the US imposed 25% tariffs on most goods arriving from India after the two countries failed to conclude a trade deal. This was followed by an additional 25% punitive duty for New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude, resulting in a total import tax of 50%.

Trump-imposed tariffs of 50% on Indian goods, which includes a 25% penalty tied to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, came into effect last week. Interestingly, Russian President Putin addressed the disagreement while in Beijing: 

Putin, addressing the press at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, cautioned against any nation trying to “dominate” global politics or security, even as he acknowledged the rise of “economic giants” such as India and China.

“From an international law point of view, everyone must have equal rights, and must be in a similar position,” Putin declared, stressing the need for balance in international relations.

He noted that large countries like India and China have unique political systems and domestic laws, warning that attempts to “punish” them place their leaders in a difficult bind. “If one of them shows weakness, his political career will be over,” Putin said.

Speaking of history, he reminded the West of its colonial past. “Countries have had difficult periods in their history, such as colonialism, attacks on sovereignty for prolonged periods of time. Now that the colonial era is over, they have to realize that they cannot use this tone in speaking with their partners,” he said.

The resulting ongoing tensions over Russian oil have pushed Delhi-Washington relations to a historic low-point.

Putin calls out US bullying and ‘colonial’ mentality policies…

🚨🇷🇺 ‘YOU CANNOT TALK TO INDIA OR CHINA LIKE THAT:’ Putin on economic pressure against partners

“Attempting to weaken their leadership, built through difficult histories, is a mistake.” pic.twitter.com/GsiU3K3mnZ

— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) September 3, 2025

“India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the US,” Trump recently wrote on Truth Social, adding Delhi should have cut tariffs “years ago”.