Amid Trump Challenge, India Says US Partnership Has Weathered Several Transitions

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said that India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership, anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and strong people-to-people ties. He added that the partnership has withstood various transitions and challenges over time.

During a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, the MEA Spokesperson, while responding to a question on India-US relations in the wake of newly imposed tariffs by Washington, said, "India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges. We remain focused on the substantive agenda that the two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward."

Watch: MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has withstood several transitions and challenges. We… pic.twitter.com/LhXiNfNiDG

— IANS (@ians_india) August 1, 2025

Earlier this week, United States President Donald Trump announced 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods and an unspecified penalty over purchases from Russia, starting Friday.

“India will be paying a tariff of 25 percent,” starting on August 1, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He also informed that India would face an additional tariff penalty for buying Russian energy.

The US President had set the penalty, known as secondary tariffs, across the board at 100 percent for all who are buying Russian energy if Moscow did not reach a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Tariffs On India 

India was reportedly among the first nations to begin trade negotiations with the US on tariffs, and Trump had repeatedly said that an agreement was imminent.

Trump wrote in his post, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World".

He accused India of having “the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country", and added, "They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE.”

“ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST,” he wrote. 

The threat to India was initially viewed as a negotiating tactic by experts to force India to reach an agreement after he and his officials, like Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, had spoken optimistically that India would be among the first to make a deal.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also said that India’s continued purchase of Russian oil remains a “point of irritation” in its relationship with the United States, even as both countries maintain strategic ties. 

His remarks came a day after Trump announced the 25 percent tariff and an additional penalty on Indian imports.

(with IANS inputs)