S. Jaishankar to visit Russia amid Trump's tariff tirade over oil import
PTC News Desk: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Moscow on August 20–21 for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, just days after the United States imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, held detailed discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the escalating trade tensions and tariff announcements, reiterating India’s consistent call for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
Last week, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also met Putin, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled higher tariffs on Indian imports in response to India’s Russian oil purchases.
On August 6, Trump signed an executive order adding a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil, bringing the total import duty to 50%. The measure will be implemented in two phases: the first 25% took effect on August 7, while the penalty portion is scheduled for August 27, unless a deal is reached beforehand.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal denounced the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing that India would take “all actions necessary” to protect its economic sovereignty. Washington has also drawn criticism for alleged double standards, with opponents pointing to its continued imports of Russian uranium hexafluoride, palladium, and fertilisers.
- With inputs from agencies
