September 19, 2025

Get ready for some spicy political drama! Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has fired a bold message at the United States, saying the country’s tough tariff talk won’t scare India or China. Calling these nations "ancient civilizations," Lavrov told Russia's Channel 1 TV's 'The Great Game' programme that America’s demands to stop buying Russian oil will fail. Instead, they make countries look for new energy options and pay more money. The drama got hotter when US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian imports from 25% to a whopping 50%. This penalty was a reaction to India’s steady oil imports from Russia, even while the Ukraine-Russia war is making global headlines. Lavrov said, "Both China and India are ancient civilisations, and to use this language with them, 'either stop doing what I don't like, or I will impose tariffs on you' — well, that won't work." He warned Washington that their hardline approach faces strong moral and political resistance from New Delhi and Beijing. India and the US have been trying to strike an interim trade deal, but Trump's tariffs made things rough. Despite hopes for an agreement, US tariffs on India doubled on August 27, adding to tensions. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro didn't hold back either. He called India the "maharaja of tariffs" and accused Indian elites of profiting unfairly, even linking Indian refiners with Russian firms post-invasion. Navarro claimed, "They make money off us via unfair trade and many workers get screwed. They use that money to buy Russian oil, and Russians use that to buy weapons." His sharp words stirred more heat in the trade talks. Even US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick chipped in, criticizing India's tariff system and warning of tough times ahead if India doesn't open up trade. He pointed out, "India brags about having 1.4 billion people but won’t buy even a small amount of American corn." Lavrov, meanwhile, shrugged off new sanctions on Russia. He said, "Frankly speaking, I don't see any problem.... An enormous amount of sanctions, unprecedented for that period, were imposed during President Donald Trump's first term." He noted that under President Joe Biden, sanctions became the usual tool instead of negotiations, with no real search for compromise. So, India stands firm, Russia takes a tough stand, and the US? Well, it’s playing its tariff cards hard. The global trade chessboard is heating up, and the next moves will be watched closely!

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Tags: Sergey lavrov, India-usa trade, Russia oil, Tariffs, Donald trump, Us sanctions,