Putin’s sharp retort to Trump over Delhi’s Russian oil purchase: ‘India never follows diktats from foreign power’ | World

Sending a strong message to US President Donald Trump who has constantly forced India to reduce its cooperation with Russia, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that New Delhi would never follow ‘diktats’ from a foreign power and would continue to act as a sovereign nation.

Speaking at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said sanctions, referring to those imposed by Trump on India, would only get ‘boomeranged’. He said India would continue to choose its partners based on “national interest, price, and technology advantage”.

“Defence cooperation between India and Russia will continue without external pressure and remain guided strictly by mutual commitments and national interests,” the Russian president was quoted by Sputnik India as saying. “Russian defence cooperation with India will not be influenced by political pressure from any third country.”

Putin’s strong remarks come in response to the sanctions imposed by Trump on India for procuring Russian oil. Trump had imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India and accused that its Russian oil purchase is fueling the war in Ukraine, a charge that New Delhi has repeatedly denied. Notably, the West itself has been buying Russian gas and oil, which India has consistently pointed out.

Coming to Trump tariffs, the 25 per cent levy was revoked earlier this year, though, as part of the trade agreement between India and the US.