New Delhi has said it appreciates the progress made in the talks in Anchorage on Friday
India has praised Friday’s meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in Alaska on Friday, calling their leadership “highly commendable.”
New Delhi, which has called for dialogue and diplomacy from the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, said on Saturday it appreciates the progress made between the two countries in Anchorage.
“India welcomes the summit meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. “Their leadership in the pursuit of peace is highly commendable.”
The South Asian nation, which is the second largest importer of Russian crude, was closely following the developments in Anchorage, particularly given that Trump recently imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods due to its purchases of Russian oil.
❗️“Dialogue And Diplomacy”: India Welcomes Alaska Summit & Appreciates Progress Made – MEA pic.twitter.com/ikSamBAlrG
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said on Wednesday that Washington could raise tariffs on India even further if Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska failed to make progress on Ukraine.
“President Trump is meeting with President Putin, and the Europeans are in the wings carping about how he should do it, what he should do. The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions,” Bessent told Bloomberg on Wednesday. “The Europeans need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions.”
After the talks with Putin, Trump suggested he may delay the additional 25% tariff, which was due to come into effect on August 27. The US President told Fox News that he would consider the question of secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil in “two or three weeks.” If the levies do end up being imposed, imports from India to the US would face 50% tariffs.
New Delhi took note of the positive statements that came from Trump and Putin after their meeting.
“India appreciates the progress made in the Summit,” the Foreign Ministry statement on Saturday added. “The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”
