India-US relations weather lots of defying situations

(MENAFN) India’s relationship with the United States has endured numerous challenges and changes over time and is built on mutual respect, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday.

His remarks came after the US imposed a 25% tariff on imports from India and President Donald Trump threatened additional penalties in response to New Delhi’s trade and defense cooperation with Moscow.

Jaiswal emphasized that India and the US share a broad strategic partnership grounded in common interests, democratic values, and strong people-to-people connections. He also pointed to the growing defense collaboration between the two nations, which has strengthened over recent years.

Following Trump’s comment that India and Russia “could take their dead economies down together,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described India’s Russian oil purchases as “a point of irritation.”

Responding to these remarks, Jaiswal stressed that bilateral relations should be assessed on their own terms, not through the prism of ties with a third country. He highlighted India’s longstanding, strong partnership with Russia.

Jaiswal also noted that India’s defense procurement decisions are based solely on national security and strategic needs, while its energy sourcing reflects market conditions and global realities.

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