Trump-Putin meeting sparks hope of tariff relief for India: Ex-diplomat says, 'maybe it will be put in abeyance...'

Former diplomat Veena Sikri has expressed optimism that the United States may put the additional tariffs on India on hold, following the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

The summit, which both leaders have described as “very productive,” seems to have created a positive outcome that could alleviate the tariff threat, ANI reported.

Shift in the stance on tariffs

Sikri noted that before the meeting, the situation for India appeared grim, with the US secretary for the treasury Scott Bessant warning of further increase of tariffs if the meeting didn't go well.

"Before the summit in Alaska, President Trump and President Putin, one of Trump's senior ministers, the US Secretary for the Treasury, Mr. Bessant, had even said that, if the meeting doesn't go well, then we may further increase the tariffs on India. So then it was not looking good at all,” she said. However, following the positive outcome of the talks, there are now indications that the US may not proceed with the threatened tariffs, at least for the time being.

Trump, on Saturday, said that his meeting with Russian President Putin in Alaska "went really well." He also held a telephonic conversation with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, several European leaders and the Secretary General of NATO and stated that a peace agreement is the best way going forward.

Discussion on tariffs and trade

Speaking to ANI, Sikri suggested that it is likely that Trump and Putin discussed the issue of tariffs on Russia's oil sales to countries like China, India, and the European Union (EU).

"From President Trump's side, I think there is some kind of discussion on this, definitely with President Putin, and it seems that an understanding has been reached that tariffs on Russia's oil sales to China, India, and even the EU do not need to be imposed,” she said.

She further added that “there might even be a possibility of trade between Russia and America. So, there is talk of that... President Putin talked about it, saying, 'Oh yes, we have good trade with the USA.' I think this issue of the additional tariff may not come up; maybe it will be put in abeyance for a while.”

The Chinese factor

Sikri highlighted a key moment from a post-summit press interaction where journalists questioned President Trump about why China, a major buyer of crude oil from Russia, had not been hit with tariffs. Trump replied that he's going to wait for a few weeks, and then it may not be necessary to put tariffs.

His statement further strengthens the view that the tariff threat is receding.