The View From India newsletter: Trump's tariff threat

The Hindu

21-07-2025

When U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum for peace in Ukraine, that too threatening 'severe tariffs' on Russia and its trade partners, the instant shock over potential trade disruption seemed to outweigh concerns over real prospects for peace in Ukraine.
Notably, the move marks a significant U-turn by Mr. Trump on Ukraine, moving away from his campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours of taking office. 'By threatening to penalise third countries for Russia's actions, Mr. Trump is doubling down on a failed policy and also jeopardising the energy security of countries such as India, an American partner,' noted The Hindueditorial. 'Mr. Trump must realise that he cannot resolve global conflicts through imperial-style ultimatums and threats. Instead, sustained diplomacy with Moscow and Kyiv is essential...His focus should be on finding a middle ground between the Russian and Ukrainian positions to achieve a durable peace,' it further said.
India has cautioned against 'double standards', even as U.S. lawmakers consider a Bill that would impose 500% duties on India and other countries buying Russian oil. New Delhi's response followed indications that Mr. Trump is backing the Russian Sanctions Act, introduced by close ally and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. 'We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter,' MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, in a possible reference to the fact that European Union members continue to procure oil, LNG and pipeline gas from Russia despite the sanctions, and are also major buyers of processed products that go through Indian refineries, including Gujarat's Nayara Energies, which has minority control by Russia's ROSNEFT. However, while Russia sells about half its oil exports to China, and about 38% to India (as of February 2025), it exports only about 6% to EU countries. Read Suhasini Haidar's report on the significant development. Meanwhile, the European Union sanctioned the Gujarat-based refinery owned by Nayara Energy Ltd. as part of a fresh sanctions package announced on Friday (July 18, 2025) targeting Russia's energy sector. Sriram Lakshman brings us the details.
As Mr. Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte turn up the pressure on countries doing business with Russia, here's an explainer on what the secondary sanctions could mean for India. Watch here.
Is the India-U.S. relationship in more trouble after the Trump administration's latest googly with threats of Russia sanctions. Watch Worldview with Suhasini Haidar.
Neighbourhood matters
Ties in the neighbourhood will come back into focus this week as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Male on July 25-26 for the Independence Day of the Maldives, and sources say a long-pending visit by Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to New Delhi is being planned shortly after his return. Suhasini Haidar and Kallol Bhattacherjee report.
For the second time in the past one year, Bangladesh has detained Indian fishermen, official sources said on Saturday (July 19, 2025). The development is being viewed by policymakers as a growing 'absence of understanding' between the two sides against the backdrop of a seemingly uneasy relationship between Dhaka and New Delhi. Kallol Bhattacherjee writes.
The Government of India on Friday (July 18, 2025) welcomed the U.S. Government's decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a 'Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)' and as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) outfit. Indicating India's international campaign to further action against terror outfits based on Pakistani soil, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India's cooperation with international partners will continue to ensure 'that terrorist organizations and their proxies are held accountable'. Read The Hindu's editorial on this.
In Sri Lanka, a mass grave site in the northern Jaffna district, which has drawn domestic and international attention, is putting to test the Anura Kumara Dissanayake government's pledge to address Tamil people's grievances.
Top 5 stories this week:
1. Reviving Kailash-Mansarovar yatra to 'inject new impetus' in India-China ties, direct flights to follow: Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong tells Suhasini Haidar
2. Tibet in translation: how the capital city of Lhasa has been reshaped, and rewritten – by Suhasini Haidar
3. The importance of India and Europe walking in step: Their shared values and strategic compulsions can lead to a partnership of conviction and result in a more stable and equitable world, Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor writes.
4. Rethinking the reinforced one-front war concept: However serious China–Pakistan nexus may appear, Indian planners ought to avoid turning prudent concern into simplistic formulations, writes Abhijit Singh, a retired naval officer and former head of maritime policy at ORF, New Delhi
5. The U.S. established and extinguished multilateralism: As a result, India needs to frame a new compass for itself and for the Global South, writes former United Nations diplomat Mukul Sanwal.