Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned Washington against using tariffs and sanctions to pressure India and China, declaring, “You cannot talk to India or China in that way.”
Speaking to reporters in China after attending Beijing’s military parade, Putin described both nations as major economic powers and criticized attempts to impose economic pressure on them.
Putin called India and China “partners.” He also argued that Washington’s tariff strategy was designed to “weaken the leadership of these countries.”
He went on to add, “Everyone has equal rights in this multipolar world… there are economic giants like India or China… but it doesn’t mean that anyone should dominate global politics or security.”
In a separate remark, the Russian president emphasized, “We don’t believe there should be some domination. Everyone must be equal.”
“You have countries like India with 1.5 billion people, China, powerful economies, but they also have their own domestic political mechanisms and laws,” he further added. “When somebody tells you they are going to punish you, you have to think — how can the leadership of those big countries react?”
He said that history weighs heavily on the political instincts of both nations. “They had difficult periods in their histories too, like colonialism, tax on their sovereignty during a prolonged period of time. If one of them shows weakness, his political career will be over. So that influences his behaviour.”
Putin also stressed that Washington’s rhetoric echoes outdated thinking. “The colonial era is now over. They have to realise they can’t use these terms in speaking with partners,” he said.
