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Russia's parliament, the Duma, forecasts that efforts to utilize China and India to exert pressure on Russia will ultimately prove unsuccessful

Efforts to utilize China and India as levers for applying pressure will inevitably meet with failure, according to Slutskii.

Russia's parliament, the Duma, forecasts the futility of efforts to employ China and India as means...
Russia's parliament, the Duma, forecasts the futility of efforts to employ China and India as means to exert pressure on Russia through manipulation

Russia's parliament, the Duma, forecasts that efforts to utilize China and India to exert pressure on Russia will ultimately prove unsuccessful

In the face of threats of secondary sanctions from Western countries, China and India have demonstrated resilience and strategic maneuvering, continuing their trade with Russia while mitigating potential impacts.

India, in particular, has faced direct tariff threats from the US, with former President Trump announcing plans to significantly increase tariffs on Indian exports in response to India's significant purchases of Russian oil. Trump's statement, however, has been met with uncertainty, as he expressed doubt about its accuracy.

Despite these pressures, India has reaffirmed its commitment to economic sovereignty and signaled its intention to continue buying Russian oil. The country has urged domestic consumption and resisted external demands, emphasizing the importance of these energy imports as a matter of national interest and economic necessity amid ongoing geopolitical conflict.

China, meanwhile, has not only maintained but increased its imports of Russian oil. Shipments surged by 20% as recently as April 2025. China has not publicly indicated any plans to change its trade patterns due to the threats of secondary sanctions and remains a major buyer of Russian energy and other commodities.

The US legislative approach involves imposing extremely steep tariffs—up to 500%—on goods from countries continuing to import Russian fossil fuels or uranium without supporting Ukraine. This approach, however, risks re-escalating trade tensions with China and India and could destabilize global energy markets.

Leonid Slutsky, the head of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, has stated that attempts by Western countries to impose secondary sanctions on China and India to pressure Russia will fail. Slutsky's statement suggests a potential resistance to Western hegemony from China, India, and possibly other countries.

This stance by China and India indicates a challenge to the traditional global order, with non-Western countries asserting their independence. Both nations view their energy and commodity imports as a matter of national interest and economic necessity, prioritizing energy security and economic sovereignty over alignment with Western sanctions regimes.

It's important to note that there has been some conflicting reporting on the specifics of India's oil purchases from Russia. Reuters reported that Indian refineries had stopped buying from Russia, but Indian media denies this. Regardless, the overall trend suggests a firm commitment from both China and India to continue their trade with Russia amidst the threats and pressures from Western countries.

Sources:

  1. Gazeta.Ru
  2. The Economic Times
  3. The Hindu
  4. Bloomberg

War-and-conflicts continue to shape policy-and-legislation and politics, as evidenced by the US's proposed tariffs on goods from countries importing Russian fossil fuels or uranium. General-news outlets report conflicting information regarding India's oil purchases from Russia, but the overall trend shows a resilient stance in the face of tariff threats, emphasizing national interest and economic necessity. China, meanwhile, has increased its imports of Russian oil, signaling a firm commitment to continuing trade despite potential secondary sanctions and the challenges they pose to the traditional global order.

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