Secondary sanctions on India won’t punish Russia, says Democrats panel

House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said tariffs on India will not stop Russia or address the Ukraine war. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated secondary sanctions could rise. India called the targeting “unjustified,” pledging to safeguard national and economic interests.

New York/Washington: Imposing tariffs on India will not stop Russian President Vladimir Putin or address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said on Friday.

The committee’s post on X came in response to a statement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that if “things don’t go well” between US President Donald Trump and Putin at their Alaska summit meeting, then secondary sanctions on India for purchasing Russian oil could go up.

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“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,” the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats said.

Bessent, in an interview to Bloomberg on Wednesday, said, “I think everyone has been frustrated with President Putin. We expected that he would come to the table in a more fulsome way. It looks like he may be ready to negotiate.”

“And we put secondary tariffs on the Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don’t go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up,” he added.

When asked about China, the main purchaser of Russian crude, Bessent had said he is “not going to get ahead of the president, but the president is the best at creating leverage for himself and he will make it clear to President Putin that all options are on the table”.

On whether sanctions can go up or loosened, Bessent had said, “Sanctions can go up, they can be loosened. They can have a definitive life. They can go on indefinitely.”

He had added that even as Trump is meeting with Putin, the Europeans “need to join us” and need to be willing to “put on these secondary sanctions”.

Bessent recalled that at the G7 meeting in Canada this year, he asked the leaders at the table whether they are willing to put a 200 per cent secondary tariff on China.

“And you know what, everybody wanted to see what kind of shoes they were wearing,” he said.

Trump imposed tariffs totalling 50 per cent on India, including 25 per cent for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil that will come into effect from August 27.

Responding to the tariffs, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable.

“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.