India acknowledges ties with US has 'weathered several challenges', expresses commitment to take relationship...

In the face of US President Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff plus penalty on India for trading with Russia, New Delhi on Friday, i.e., August 1, acknowledged that its ties with the States had overcome several challenges and that it is committed to taking the relationship forward. 

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, underlined that the ties between the United States and India have weathered several transitions and challenges. “India and the US share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges". 

At the same time, Jaiswal shed light on India's relations with Russia, asserting New Delhi and Moscow have a “steady and time-tested partnership”. 

'Don't care...'

On Thursday, i.e., July 31, US President Donald Trump claimed that he "doesn't care what India does with Russia" and that the two nations can take their "dead economies" down together. "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let's keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he's still President, to watch his words. He's entering very dangerous territory!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the States. In addition, he announced a penalty for India for trading with Russia. "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their 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".

The US President cited India’s trade ties with Russia as a reason to impose a penalty on New Delhi. “Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE - ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST 1st. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!"