The latest tariff clash between the United States and India has added another twist to Donald Trump’s policy on Russia’s war in Ukraine. While Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50 percent, Democrats in the US House Foreign Affairs Committee said the move will not stop Vladimir Putin. They argued that the White House is punishing the wrong country.
Tariffing India won’t stop Putin.
If Trump really wanted to address Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, maybe punish Putin and give Ukraine the military aid it needs.
Everything else is smoke and mirrors. pic.twitter.com/TxzqhpaKGt
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) August 15, 2025
Instead of squeezing India, they said, Trump should focus on punishing Moscow and giving Ukraine the military aid it needs. Their reaction shows how sharply divided Washington remains on how to handle Russia and how much India has become a reluctant pawn in this global game.
Democrats Push Back
The Democratic panel’s statement came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned New Delhi of higher “secondary tariffs” for continuing its Russian oil trade. Democrats dismissed the strategy as “smoke and mirrors.”
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They said Trump cannot hope to end Putin’s war by targeting India. They added that sanctions on Moscow and direct aid to Kyiv remain the only tools that can truly make an impact.
Trump’s Pressure Campaign
Scott Bessent, in an interview with Bloomberg, explained the thinking behind Trump’s approach. He said the scale of secondary tariffs depends on the outcome of the president’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, which ended with what Trump called “productive talks.” Bessent hinted that all options are open, including more tariffs and even sanctions.
However, he also noted frustration in Washington over Putin’s refusal to engage in peace talks. Asked about China’s bigger role in buying Russian crude, Bessent said he would not get ahead of the president. Instead, he stressed that Trump knows how to use leverage in negotiations.
India Holds Its Ground
However, India has stood firm. New Delhi called the US tariff hike “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” The blow will fall hardest on Indian textiles and marine exports, two sectors already facing tight margins. Yet PM Narendra Modi made clear that India will not back down.
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He said farmers, fishermen, and livestock holders remain his top priority. Modi admitted that the price will be high, but he promised he is ready to bear it. His words underline a new era of India’s foreign policy confidence, where economic pain is acceptable for the sake of sovereignty.
A Divided Strategy
A deeper divide in US policy is revealed by this tariff storm. Trump’s strategy aims to build influence by applying trade pressure to friends like India. Meanwhile, democrats are in favour of travelling directly to Moscow.
Both sides want to weaken Putin, but their paths differ. For India, caught between these competing approaches, the cost will be heavy. Yet New Delhi’s clear message is that its decisions will not be dictated by Washington.
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