The US has announced 25% tariffs on Indian goods, citing its continued trade with Russia

The West is jeopardizing its ties with India through threats and sanctions linked to its cooperation with Russia, Moscow's ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, has told RT. He argued that the measures expose the US and EU as unreliable partners and will not compel India to sever ties with Russia.

Alipov's remarks on Tuesday came after the EU unveiled its 18th sanctions package targeting India's Vadinar refinery - partly owned by Russia's Rosneft - and coincided with US President Donald Trump's threats of tariffs over India's energy and defense trade with Russia.

"Through these threats and measures, the West is planting a time bomb under its own relations with India, deliberately demonstrating its unreliability," he said. "The threats coming from the US certainly do not inspire trust... They only further highlight the unreliability of the US as a partner."

Alipov added that Moscow has never built its ties with New Delhi at the expense of others, while Washington, in pursuit of its own economic gains, is undermining not only Russia's interests but also those of India.

"No one considers these actions legitimate, and they're being roundly condemned," he said.

He noted that while India cannot sacrifice its ties with either the US or Russia, its reliance on Moscow for oil and gas means its foreign policy decisions will ultimately hinge on energy security.

India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, imports around 80% of its energy and has never taken part in the Western sanctions on its top supplier, Russia.

READ MORE: India responds to Trumps 25% tariff

On Wednesday, Trump announced 25% tariffs on Indian goods and additional penalties starting on Friday over its energy and defense trade with Russia. Later in the day, he said on Truth Social that Moscow and India "can take their dead economies down together for all I care."

The move came as Washington and New Delhi sought a trade deal after Trump's earlier tariff hike on Indian goods. New Delhi responded by reaffirming its commitment to a "fair, balanced and mutually beneficial" agreement with the US, while vowing to do whatever is necessary to protect its national interests.

(RT.com)