Trump: India, Russia can take their dead economies down together

Washington/New Delhi: India and Russia can take their "dead economies down together", US President Donald Trump has said in a fresh attack on the two countries for their close trade ties even as New Delhi continued to analyse the possible impact of his decision to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.

In its reaction, India said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined.

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The US president's diatribe came hours after he announced 25 percent tariffs against India from August 1, along with an unspecified "penalty" to punish New Delhi for continuing to procure crude oil from Russia notwithstanding the Western sanctions.

"I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care," he said.

"We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World," he added.

Russia remained India's top oil supplier in the last few months.

"The government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs and all sections of industry. We will take all necessary steps to secure and advance our national interest," Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said in Parliament.

Hours after Trump criticised India for its trade links with Russia, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said everybody except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman knows that the country's economy is "dead".

However, Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmaker Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Indian economy is among the top five economies of the world and calling it "dead" can only come from a position of "arrogance" or "ignorance".

Trump's surprise announcement on the tariff against India came a day after Indian officials said that a US trade team would visit from August 25 to negotiate a trade deal.

It is being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US, which has, in recent days, got favourable trade deals with major partners like Japan, the UK and the European Union.

While announcing the tariff, Trump described India's trade policies as "most strenuous and obnoxious".

"All things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 percent, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August first," Trump said in a social media post.

India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 percent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 percent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China.

Trump said though India is America's friend, "we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their (India) tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country".

He said India has always purchased a significant amount of military equipment and energy products from Russia at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the "killing" in Ukraine.

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