The ongoing US tariffs on Indian goods, particularly those targeting India’s imports of Russian oil, have emerged as a key diplomatic lever ahead of the scheduled Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

US President Donald Trump recently imposed a combined 50% tariff—25% reciprocal duty and an additional 25% levy—on Indian purchases of Russian oil, which has sharply escalated trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi.

Trump characterises India as either Russia’s largest or second-largest oil buyer, emphasizing that this punitive measure is a strategic blow to Moscow’s economy and a direct effort to curtail the Russian war machine in Ukraine.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert based in Washington, DC, pointed out a “very strong link” between the Trump-Putin meeting and these tariffs on India. He suggests that the summit is Trump’s last-ditch effort to secure a Russian ceasefire or at least a reduction in hostilities, particularly with respect to Ukraine.

If Putin agrees to a ceasefire or meaningful de-escalation, Kugelman notes that it “could take the heat off India” by removing the main justification for the tariffs—that is, India’s continued oil trade with a belligerent Russia. India’s Foreign Ministry has publicly opposed the tariffs, labelling them “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” and has vowed to take necessary measures to safeguard national interests.

Trump, meanwhile, is positioning the summit as a pivotal opportunity to push for peace in Ukraine. He has stated that he will assess Putin’s willingness for a deal within minutes of their meeting and will subsequently inform both the European Union/NATO and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—whom he intends to consult “out of respect”—about any framework for a peace settlement.

The US administration sees India’s purchases of Russian oil not only as fuelling Moscow’s war effort, but also as exacerbating America’s trade imbalance with India.

In parallel, Trump has hinted at possible normalisation of US-Russia trade relations—conditioned on Russia “going toward business instead of war.” He regards Russia as a country with immense untapped potential but mired in conflict, suggesting that robust bilateral trade could be possible if hostilities ceased.

Experts and observers believe that Putin’s willingness to travel to the US for talks is a sign of the pressure these tariffs exert, not just on Russia but indirectly on countries like India that rely on discounted Russian oil. Some analysts see this as an inflection point—should Putin make significant concessions or agree to ceasefire parameters, the principal rationale for harsh tariffs on India would weaken, potentially easing tensions and “taking the heat off India”.

India, for its part, has given cautious endorsement to the US-Russia summit, reiterating Prime Minister Modi’s stance that “this is not an era of war,” while remaining steadfastly opposed to accepting the tariff regime as justified or permanent. The Kremlin has described the talks as focused on a long-term peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis, though Kyiv remains resistant to any territorial concessions, underlining the complexity of reaching a comprehensive agreement.

The intersection of high US tariffs on Indian imports and the Trump-Putin summit represents a high-stakes episode in global diplomacy. If the meeting leads to a ceasefire or peace deal in Ukraine, it could directly lead to a reduction or removal of tariffs targeting India’s Russian oil trade, offering significant political and economic relief for New Delhi.

Conversely, failure to reach diplomatic progress keeps India embroiled in the consequences of major-power sanctions and trade friction.

Based On ANI Report