India pauses to buying US arms
India pauses to buying US arms after Trump’s tariffs , as reported by three Indian officials familiar with the situation. This marks India’s initial tangible indication of dissatisfaction following the tariffs imposed on its exports by President Donal Trump, which have brought bilateral relations to their lowest point in decades.
India had intended to send Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington in the upcoming weeks to announce some of these purchases; however, that trip has been cancelled, according to two of the sources.
On August 6, Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods as a punitive measure for Delhi’s acquisition of Russian oil, which he claimed was financing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This action increased the total duty on Indian exports to 50 percent, making it one of the highest rates among US trading partners.
The US president has a track record of quickly changing his stance on tariffs, and India has stated that it remains actively engaged in talks with Washington. One of the sources indicated that the defense purchases could proceed once India has clarity regarding tariffs and the trajectory of bilateral relations, but “not as soon as they were anticipated.”
No formal instructions have been issued to halt the purchases, another official noted, suggesting that Delhi retains the option to swiftly change its decision, although there has been “no forward movement at least for now.”
India’s defense ministry and the Pentagon did not respond to inquiries from Reuters. Delhi, which has developed a close partnership with the United States in recent years, has asserted that it is being unfairly targeted, while Washington and its European allies continue to engage in trade with Moscow when it serves their interests.
For the first time, Reuters is reporting that discussions regarding India’s acquisition of Stryker combat vehicles manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been paused due to the tariffs.
In February, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced plans to pursue the procurement and joint production of these items.
Singh had also been intending to announce the acquisition of six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft along with support systems for the Indian Navy during his now-cancelled trip, as stated by two individuals. Discussions regarding the procurement of these aircraft in a proposed $3.6 billion agreement were reportedly at an advanced stage, according to the officials.
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics directed inquiries to the Indian and US governments. Raytheon did not respond to a request for comment.
Russian Relations
India’s strengthening security ties with the US, driven by their mutual strategic competition with China, has been recognized by numerous US analysts as a significant area of foreign-policy advancement during the initial Trump administration.
Delhi ranks as the world’s second-largest arms importer, with Russia historically being its primary supplier. However, in recent years, India has begun to pivot towards importing from Western nations such as France, Israel, and the US, as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think-tank.
This change in suppliers has been partly influenced by limitations on Russia’s capacity to export arms, which it is heavily utilizing in its invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, some Russian weaponry has reportedly underperformed in combat situations, according to Western analysts.
The broader US-India defense partnership, which encompasses intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, continues to progress smoothly, as noted by one of the Indian officials.
India also remains receptive to reducing its oil imports from Russia and is willing to negotiate deals with other countries, including the US, provided similar pricing can be achieved, according to two additional Indian sources.
Trump’s threats and the rise of anti-US nationalism in India have “made it politically challenging for Modi to transition from Russia to the US,” one of the individuals remarked. Nevertheless, discounts on the landing cost of Russian oil have diminished to their lowest levels since 2022.
India’s petroleum ministry did not promptly respond to a request for comment.
Although the disruption in US-India relations was sudden, there have been ongoing tensions in the partnership. Delhi has consistently denied Trump’s claims that the US facilitated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following four days of conflict between the nuclear-capable neighbors in May. Additionally, Trump welcomed Pakistan’s army chief to the White House in the weeks after the skirmish.
In recent months, Moscow has been actively encouraging Delhi to acquire new defense technologies, such as its S-500 surface-to-air missile system, according to one Indian official and a Russian source familiar with the discussions.
Currently, India does not perceive a necessity for new arms acquisitions from Moscow, as stated by two Indian officials.
However, Delhi is unlikely to completely detach itself from Russian weaponry, as the long-standing partnership between the two nations implies that Indian military systems will still depend on Moscow’s assistance, according to one of the officials.
The Russian embassy in Delhi has not promptly replied to a request for comment.
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