Despite US tariffs India is the nation in limelight The Statesman 02 Sep 2025
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Despite US tariffs India is the nation in limelight The Statesman 02 Sep 2025
With passage of time Donald Trump’s Alaska summit appears to not only have failed but also displayed a changing world order. Sanctions on India for procuring Russian oil and thereby funding their war machinery was aimed at pressurizing India into switching alliances. India refused to budge. Trump, in his desperation to display proximity to Putin, hoping he accepts direct talks with Zelensky, made European leaders wait while he spoke to him. This too failed. Trump’s dream of a Nobel are fading.
While Putin has not commented on Trump’s summit request, his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov made the Russian position clear. He debunked most of what Trump and his European allies had suggested. On security guarantees he mentioned that a group of nations, including UNSC members, should be guarantors of Ukraine’s security. These would automatically include Russia and China.
He added that non-UNSC members being part of guarantors must be ‘neutral, non-aligned with any military bloc and non-nuclear,’ implying almost no NATO role. He added that NATO membership was unacceptable as also protection for Russian speakers in Ukraine and territorial realignment need to be accepted.
Finally on a Putin-Zelensky summit, Lavrov mentioned, ‘Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all.’ Generally, leaders’ summit are generally photo-ops, with most preparations done by diplomats in advance. A meeting without pre-set agendas and approved agreements have little chance of success.
Lavrov’s comments floated after he met Jaishankar, implying India was on board with the Russian view. Putin, like most heads of state, would prefer issues being discussed and finalized between diplomats, with limited refinement at the summit.
At Alaska, Trump went in promising a ceasefire, but ended up singing Putin’s tune of peace. Trump also made no mention of additional sanctions on Russia. What was more embarrassing was his subsequent meeting with European leaders in Washington, where he bulldozed his views on ending the conflict. However, Russia refused to play ball.
Meanwhile the war continues. Drone and missile strikes are being launched by both sides. While Russia targets new regions, Ukraine targeted a Russian nuclear power plant. The west fears a new Russian offensive could be disastrous for Ukraine.
Trump, defending his decision on US not funding Ukraine, mentioned that it is NATO procuring US armaments for further delivery to Kiev, implying US companies are earning from the conflict. Leaders from Europe continue streaming into Ukraine offering support. The latest to visit Kiev or speak to Zelensky include Canada’s PM, NATO Secretary General, German Vice-Chancellor and the Norwegian PM.
The Russian economy may be slowing down but is nowhere near levels which could compel Putin to change his stance. India, whom the US targeted with additional sanctions has refused to bend, despite sanctions having some impact on the economy as also employment. China, already under 55% tariffs remains firm. The leaders of the three nations have met over the weekend on the sidelines of the SCO summit at Tianjin in China. Putin had already briefed PM Modi on the outcome of the Alaska summit.
The manner in which European leaders rushed to US to display solidarity with Ukraine as also possibly project a united front turned out to be an embarrassment. Images released by the White House displayed them being treated as errant schoolchildren by Trump.
This is primarily because for decades Europe ignored its defence and remained dependent on the US for its security. This has enabled Washington to override their views. Plans to increase defence spending to 5% over the next decade will have limited impact for the present. Europe is no longer the power it once was.
With Europe largely left to fund Ukraine and prepare for future hostile scenarios, it cannot afford to be involved in trade conflicts on US’s demands. It has thus far refused to respond to Washington’s requests to impose sanctions on India. Talks on a free trade agreement are in an advanced stage. This benefits India.
Military and economic power is rising in Asia. India and China are two major powers in the region. Russia is closely associated to both. The Russia-India-China troika can be an economic and military powerhouse in the future, provided India and China overcome their trust deficits and resolve their border issues. The recent visit to Wang Yi indicated change. It is to be seen whether the same will hold true.
A media report in a German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung mentioned that Trump had attempted to call PM Modi on a number of occasions but failed. Though dates have not been mentioned, it is likely to be recent. Possible reasons for PM Modi avoiding conversation with Trump include his determination not to open its agricultural sector, refusal to stop procurement of Russian oil as also prevent Trump from exploiting the call to reiterate his claims of brokering peace.
Today India is the nation to watch. It is being wooed by China with promises to resolve pending issues, by Russia which seeks that it remain a partner, while the US assumes that bullying on trade can compel India to change its position. Peter Navarro, the US trade advisor, has ever given so many interviews on a single subject as he has done on US sanctions on India, nor has Trump discussed the Russo-Ukraine war as many times as brokering the Indo-Pak ceasefire.
India is willing to stand upto US bullying and the nation stands behind the government. Trump administration’s attempts to justify sanctions may not get New Delhi to bend but rather compel it to alter its trade and financial policies to absorb part losses from US sanctions. Meanwhile the US-India two plus two dialogue was held indicating that there are signs of normalization.
India will be on firmer ground provided its relations with China, which also faces high tariffs, mend. With Europe in decline, bullied by Trump, it is Asian giants and Russia standing upto it. At some stage, Trump will need to reassess his current strategy towards India, if the US seeks to contain China’s rise. This may possibly flow from a summit this month on the sidelines of the UNGA session, in case PM Modi visits New York. Details have yet to be released. Till then, India will stand firm.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army