Tariff-Hit India Finds a Ray of Hope in Trump-Putin Alaska Summit
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India, facing mounting pressure from the U.S. in the form of threatened secondary tariffs over its imports of Russian oil, has cautiously responded with optimism following the recent Trump–Putin summit held in Alaska. While the nearly three-hour meeting did not yield a concrete agreement on Ukraine or a ceasefire, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a suo motu statement praising the leaders’ “commendable” pursuit of peace and acknowledging the progress achieved at the summit. The statement reinforced that the “way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy,” a stance India has consistently championed.
The U.S. had slated an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports from August 27 as a penalty for continuing to purchase Russian oil—effectively doubling existing duties. However, both Presidents struck a notably conciliatory tone during the summit. Trump, in a post-summit interview, hinted that he might reconsider implementing further sanctions, noting that the meeting “went very well” and that he “may not have to do it” (i.e., impose secondary tariffs).
For India, this shift offers a sliver of diplomatic relief. New Delhi had hoped that signs of progress in Russo-U.S. negotiations might soften the severity of economic actions aimed at reducing its energy ties with Russia.
While the summit fell short of delivering a definitive breakthrough on Ukraine, India finds cautious optimism in the diplomatic overtures. Whether this translates into a postponement—or even cancellation—of the looming tariffs remains a matter of watchful waiting. Should further developments unfold, particularly any change in U.S. tariff policy, it would offer significant breathing space for New Delhi’s energy strategy and geopolitical balancing act.
