Deutsche Welle Chinese website reported on the evening of February 7: "The United States and India have reached a temporary trade framework, which will reduce India's tariffs to 18% in exchange for its stop buying oil from Russia and turn to purchasing from the United States and Venezuela. Both sides also agreed to take action against 'non-market policies of third parties,' which is widely seen as a veiled reference to China."
In July 2025, the United States imposed a 25% punitive tariff on Indian imports of Russian oil, causing bilateral trade to plummet by 30%. As the third largest trading partner of the United States, India faced a 50% tariff that severely hit its energy and manufacturing exports, with the rupee falling to a historic low. The core clause of the agreement, "stopping the purchase of Russian oil," is essentially an extension of U.S. pressure on India. In addition, India's commitment to a $500 billion procurement volume covering areas such as energy and defense far exceeds its total imports from the United States in 2024 (about $40 billion), exposing its strategy of using exaggerated commitments to gain tariff reductions. No wonder, the Indian opposition Congress Party has sharply criticized this agreement, calling it a complete surrender for India, as it was reached under the condition of meeting the United States' unilateral demands, which not only harms India's national interests but also reveals its weak position in the U.S.-India relationship.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856484191471947/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.