India stands firm on Russia ties after Trump remark: ‘It's a steady, time-tested partnership'
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, as quoted by ANI, "Our ties with any country stand on their merit and should not be seen from the prism of a third country. As far as India-Russia relations are concerned, we have a steady and time-tested partnership."
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Economic Times
11 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Is cautious ‘Elephant-Dragon' tango making a comeback as Donald Trump tightens trade screws against India?
Synopsis India and China are showing signs of re-engagement. High-level visits and dialogues are being planned. Russia-India-China trilateral dialogue may revive. Despite this, trade tensions persist. The US has increased tariffs on Indian exports. This comes amid pressure on India's ties with Russia. It is unclear if India's strategic position is shifting. All these factors add complexity to the situation. AI generated image Just as the US announced new tariffs, raising it to 50 % on Indian exports, a cautious thaw appears to be taking shape in India-China relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China for the first time in seven years. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, External Affiar Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's recent visits to China signal a tentative improvement in bilateral ties, which have remained tense since the 2020 Galwan clashes, even as friction continues on trade, technology, and security activity between India and China has picked up pace in recent weeks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China for the first time in seven years. Efforts are also underway to revive the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral dialogue, reflecting an attempt to engage on regional and global platforms. Last month, as per an ET report, India signaled willingness to consider reviving the long-inactive Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral dialogue, following renewed interest from Moscow. Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had urged the resumption of the RIC format. Speaking at a conference, Lavrov said, "I would like to confirm our genuine interest in the earliest resumption of the work within the format of the troika -- Russia, India, China which was established many years ago on the initiative of Yevgeny Primakov."National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's recent visit to China focused on strategic and border security matters. His trip follows earlier visits by India's foreign and defence ministers, suggesting a coordinated effort to keep diplomatic channels open even as border tensions remain June, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. He refused to back a joint statement that, according to Indian officials, would have weakened India's position on the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. As a result, the SCO did not issue a joint statement due to disagreements over terrorism. India and China are also in talks to resume direct passenger flights, which were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic and border tensions. However, officials have not provided any timeline for the BRICS summit in Brazil, all member nations, including China, signed a joint statement condemning terrorism — marking a rare instance of alignment on India's security concerns. The statement specifically condemned the Pahalgam attack, where India had earlier faced pushback in other forums. India blamed Pakistan's involvement in the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 tourists were killed by ongoing diplomatic contacts, trade tensions persist. China recently delayed the shipment of a German-made tunnel boring machine intended for India's Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train this year, China temporarily halted rare earth exports to India, affecting the electric vehicle manufacturing sector. Some Indian producers warned of possible disruptions in India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has also alleged that China is restricting the export of capital equipment vital for electronics manufacturing in India, potentially undercutting India's efforts to become an electronics production July, about 300 Chinese engineers working at Foxconn's Indian plants were reportedly ordered to return to China. The move was widely seen as an attempt to delay Apple's supply chain shift to India and slow the production ramp-up of latest US tariff hike on Indian exports comes amid growing friction over India's energy ties with Russia. The White House has defended the 50% tariff as part of its broader strategic response to countries continuing trade with Moscow.A bill pending in the US Senate proposes a 500% tariff on imports from countries that do not align with US policy on Russia, which could further strain India's export-driven sectors. China faces similar scrutiny from backchannel diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and possible high-level visits point to cautious re-engagement with China, it remains unclear whether India's broader strategic posture is shifting. The Galwan incident, trade disputes, and regional security concerns continue to shape the same time, the rising economic pressure from the US adds a new layer of complexity. Whether this pushes India to hedge more visibly between Washington and Beijing remains an open question, shaped by both external pressures and domestic strategic priorities.
Mint
14 minutes ago
- Mint
Rahul Gandhi hosts key INDIA bloc dinner today. What's on the agenda, and who's attending?
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi will host the INDIA bloc leaders for a dinner meeting in the national capital on Thursday. This will be the first physical meeting of the INDIA bloc after the one held a day after the Lok Sabha elections at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's home in New Delhi. The meeting will devise a joint strategy for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and discuss fielding a joint candidate for the Vice Presidential elections scheduled for 9 September. The Election Commission of India issued a notification on Thursday for the 9 September election to the vice president's post, kickstarting the nomination process. The dinner will be followed by a protest march to the Election Commission's (EC) office in New Delhi on Friday. The INDIA bloc demonstration will be against the ongoing SIR exercise in Bihar that the Opposition alleges could allow the manipulation of electoral rolls. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav have confirmed their presence. All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee is also likely to attend. So will Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin, who is said to be unwell. Uddhav Thackeray from Shiv Sena (UBT) and leaders from Nationalist Congress Party (SP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and other INDIA bloc constituents are also expected to attend the meeting. National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are also attending the meeting. This meeting will decide our joint strategy against the manipulation of electoral rolls in Bihar. The SIR row in Bihar has become a glue for the divided INDIA bloc to come together, as it has not let Parliament function, barring last week's debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor and its aftermath. The INDIA bloc has been demanding a debate in the Parliament over SIR. Key Takeaways The INDIA bloc aims to unify against electoral challenges in Bihar. The dinner meeting signifies a strategic alliance among opposition leaders. Upcoming Vice Presidential elections will see a collaborative candidate effort.
India.com
14 minutes ago
- India.com
India Should Retaliate With 50% Tariff On American Goods: Shashi Tharoor On Trumps Double Tariff Slap
New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump's latest decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, calling it a direct economic penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian crude oil. The hike brings the total tariff on Indian exports to 50%, threatening to derail India-US trade relations worth $90 billion. 'It will definitely have an impact because we have a trade of $90 billion with them, and if everything becomes 50% more expensive, buyers will also think, why should they buy Indian things?' Tharoor said, speaking to the media. In a sharp counter to Washington's move, he suggested that India should consider imposing reciprocal tariffs on US exports. 'If they do this, we should also impose a 50% tariff on American exports... It is not that any country can threaten us like this. Our average tariffs on American goods are 17%. Why should we stop at 17%? We should also raise it to 50%,' he asserted. 'We need to ask them, do they not value our relationship? If India doesn't matter to them, they should also not matter to us.' #WATCH | Delhi: On US President Donald Trump's imposition of an additional 25% tariff on India's purchase of Russian oil, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "It will definitely have an impact because we have a trade of $90 billion with them, and if everything becomes 50% more… — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2025 The US administration's justification for the steep tariff hike is India's ongoing energy trade with Russia, despite Western efforts to isolate Moscow economically. India has repeatedly defended its stance, arguing that purchasing Russian oil at discounted rates is essential for the energy security of 1.4 billion people. Describing the US action as 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable', India's Ministry of External Affairs called it 'extremely unfortunate' that Washington had chosen to target India for decisions that several other nations, including China, continue to make in their own interest. When asked whether India should continue sourcing oil from Moscow despite pressure from Washington, Tharoor emphasized market logic and national interest: 'We need to look at the market and decide where to buy oil and gas from. If Russian oil is a lot cheaper than the rates offered by other countries, why can't we profit from it? We need oil and gas for development activities,' he said. The tariff escalation has further strained India-US trade talks, which had already stalled over disagreements on market access. India had resisted US demands to open up sectors like agriculture, citing the need to protect domestic farmers. Sending a clear message after Trump's tariff announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his government's commitment to farmers: 'The interest of farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise with the interests of its farmers, livestock holders, and fishermen. And I know that I will have to pay a huge price for this personally, but I am ready. India is ready, for the sake of the country's farmers, fishermen, and livestock holders,' PM Modi said during an event in Delhi. Echoing this sentiment, Tharoor acknowledged the importance of protecting India's agriculture sector: 'A massive section of India's population is linked to agriculture. No matter whose government it is, Modi ji's or ours, we need to stand with the farmers. Our true friends abroad will understand this, but those who are not ready to understand, who do not value our relationship as much as we value it, we need to look for other friends.' With tensions escalating, both sides appear to be digging in, signaling a rough road ahead for what has long been considered a key strategic partnership.
