NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned the United States against trying to strong-arm India and China with tariffs and sanctions, a development that comes close on the heels of his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.“You cannot talk to India or China in that way,” Putting said, addressing the media after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and a military parade in Beijing. “The colonial era is now over. They have to realise they can’t use these terms in speaking with partners.”The Russian President accused the Trump administration of using economic pressure as a tool to undermine two of Asia’s biggest powers. He also mentioned that he debriefed Modi on the Alaska summit with Trump during his one-hour car drive with the Indian PM.Putin said the US tariff regime was an attempt to “weaken the leadership of these countries”.“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 said. “When somebody tells you they are going to punish you, you have to think — how can the leadership of those big countries react?”Putin 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.”Tensions will, however, eventually ease, according to the Russian President. “Ultimately, things will be sorted out, everything will take its place, and we will see normal political dialogue again,” he said.Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up fertiliser supplies to India this year and both sides will sign a pact for Arctic cooperation next year.
