Oh Trump. Not This Again.
Trump is threatening a tariff increase on Indian imports and the timing is not random. India bought oil from Russia. The US did not like it. And now we are watching international trade turn into a tool of political messaging. Again.
Let’s be clear. Tariffs are legal. They are also strategic. When used this way, they are less about economics and more about asserting control. The message is simple. If you don’t play by our rules, we raise the price of playing with us.
This isn’t just about jackets or jewellery or whatever goods are on that list. It’s about policy pressure. It’s about sovereignty. It’s about whether trade deals can be weaponised to punish countries for independent decisions.
Under international law, countries are allowed to impose tariffs. But if the motive is retaliation over political alignment, it raises serious questions under WTO norms. Especially when it targets a specific country for exercising its foreign policy options.
If sovereignty is negotiable, expect the invoice.
Not Just Oil, It’s Leverage
India and Russia go way back. Through sanctions, Cold War splits, and global shake-ups, the two have stood shoulder to shoulder when it mattered. Today that bond is less about nostalgia and more about necessity. India needs crude, Russia needs buyers, and together they have created a lifeline that neither Washington nor Brussels can easily sever.
Enter Trump. Cue the drama. A 50% tariff on Indian imports because New Delhi kept buying discounted Russian oil. Let’s call it what it is: not economics, but politics with a price tag.
Tariffs are nothing new, but they have become the go-to pressure tool. They look like trade policy, but they feel like punishment. The message is simple. Play by our rules or pay for your independence.
Here is the tension. India is not just managing energy strategy, it is protecting sovereignty. Buying oil from Russia is not about defiance, it is about survival. Fuel for a billion-plus people and a growing economy cannot be left to diplomatic mood swings.
When global supply chains are twisted into geopolitical weapons, the question is not who sells the cheapest barrel. The real question is who gets to call the shots.
Power is not only about pipelines and ports. Sometimes it is about the quiet insistence that we will not be told who to do business with.
Real power is the freedom to choose your own allies.
