Illogical tariffs

The United States’ bid to impose penalising tariff—kicking in from Wednesday—on India for buying oil from Russia is both arbitrary and illogical. It is India’s sovereign right to buy what it requires from where it works out most economical for it rather than being dictated by a third country.

The accusation that India’s oil purchases from Russia are funding the latter’s war effort against Ukraine too is absurd, to say the least. By the same token, the US could also be blamed for supporting whole hog the Israeli invasion of Gaza that has assumed genocidal proportions.

With deaths of over 60,000 persons, most of whom are women and children, the US backing of Israel has been consistent during the last two years. The US has not merely loosened its purse strings, but has supplied arms, and extended moral and diplomatic support for the Netanyahu regime as well.

It is rather bizarre that the United States is initiating a punitive measure against India ignoring the free market principle that holds the iconic status in its long pursued economic policies. External Affairs Minister Mr. Jaishankar was right when he described the American penal tariff barriers ‘funny’.

India will do well to pursue the matter with quiet diplomacy by seeking help of lobbies as there is much at stake for Indian exports if the Trump administration goes ahead with its current intimidatory and irrational policies.