When <a title="US" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/business/trump-imposes-additional-25-tariff-on-imports/17510" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US</a> President Donald Trump sits across a negotiating table, few allies or adversaries can predict his next move. The Alaska Summit between the United States and <a title="Russia" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/business/trump-targets-india-over-russian-oil-links/17424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> was no exception. For months, Trump had wielded tariffs as weapons, punishing partners and rivals alike. Yet, what shifted the dynamics this time was not Russia&rsquo;s stubbornness but India&rsquo;s centrality in the global oil chessboard.
Despite four rounds of negotiations involving American, Saudi and Turkish mediators, Moscow refused to bend on a Ukraine ceasefire. Even under punishing tariffs, Russian President Vladimir Putin held his line. But when Trump&rsquo;s strategy veered towards India &mdash; Russia&rsquo;s second-largest oil buyer &mdash; the Kremlin suddenly softened.
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ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/modi-putin-reaffirm-strong-india-russia-ties/17605
Ahead of the Alaska talks, Trump confidently told American media that &ldquo;Russia lost one client &ndash; India.&rdquo; He hinted that New Delhi, under intense pressure, had begun scaling down oil imports from Moscow. Hours later, after his three-hour meeting with Putin, Trump changed tone: tariffs on India might be delayed for two to three weeks. That pause is telling &mdash; it signals Trump&rsquo;s expectation that a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire treaty could materialise within that window.
For India, the moment is delicate but strategic. Its oil purchases from Russia, discounted amid Western boycotts, have helped New Delhi stabilise energy prices while simultaneously funding Moscow&rsquo;s wartime expenditure. This dual role makes India both indispensable to Russia and valuable leverage for Washington.
The trade numbers amplify the story. India-US annual trade, which already crossed $200 billion in 2023, is targeted to touch $500 billion by 2030. Against this backdrop, Washington&rsquo;s tariffs on Indian goods &mdash; some touching 50 per cent &mdash; had strained relations. Modi&rsquo;s government rejected Trump&rsquo;s label of India&rsquo;s economy as &ldquo;dead&rdquo; and insisted the measures were &ldquo;unjust and unreasonable.&rdquo; Yet, the Alaska summit has left open a window for recalibration.
The political dividends of this manoeuvre are visible on both sides. Trump can claim he forced Putin to the table without firing a shot, while Modi can argue he defended national interests and avoided harsher penalties. Both leaders, in their own domestic theatres, stand to gain.
ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/opinion/trump-tariffs-india-but-is-putin-the-real-target-/17517
Ultimately, Trump&rsquo;s tariff diplomacy is less about economics than leverage. His message is clear: American power is not merely military but commercial, transactional, and deeply tied to allies&rsquo; choices. And for now, India finds itself at the crossroads of this grand game &mdash; a client Russia cannot afford to lose, and a partner America cannot afford to alienate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin with American President Donald Trump

India’s oil trade with Russia becomes the pivot in Trump’s strategy to bend Moscow

Trump’s Tariff Gambit Shifts Global Balances

India’s oil trade with Russia becomes the pivot in Trump’s strategy to bend Moscow

August 16, 2025 | 17:16 IST