India has dismissed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that New Delhi could face US sanctions if it continues trading with Russia.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stated at a news conference in New Delhi, “We have seen reports on the subject and are closely monitoring the developments… ensuring the energy needs of our people is understandably our overriding priority. In this effort, we are guided by what is available in the markets and by the prevailing global circumstances.”
“We would particularly caution against any double standards on this matter,” Jaiswal added.
Following a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House earlier this week, Rutte urged Brazil, India, and China, among other BRICS nations, to “make the phone call” to Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine or risk facing secondary sanctions from the US.
“President Trump said, basically, if Russia is not serious about peace talks (in Ukraine), within 50 days, he will slam secondary sanctions on countries like India, China, and Brazil.”
Also during the meeting, Trump said the US will send weapons to Ukraine through NATO, which will pay for and distribute them.
The United States’ “top-of-the-line weapons,” including Patriot missile systems and batteries, would be arriving very soon, he pointed out.
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, US goods exports to India in 2024 were $41.8 billion, up 3.4 percent ($1.4 billion) from 2023. US goods imports from India totaled $87.4 billion in 2024, up 4.5 percent ($3.7 billion) from 2023.
On Monday, Trump threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russia if a deal on ending the war in Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.
Moreover, the EU also faces a critical two-week deadline to prevent a 30% tariff on imports from the US, Trump’s administration announced last week.
On Wednesday, Beijing rejected Rutte’s warning, saying “dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out of the (Ukraine) crisis.”
“China opposes unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. Tariff wars have no winners (and) coercion and pressure will lead nowhere,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.
India, China, and Brazil account for the vast majority of Moscow’s energy trade. Together with South Africa, they are the core nations of the BRICS alliance.