New Delhi: India-US ties have “weathered several transitions and challenges” in the past and New Delhi is “confident that the relationship will continue to move forward”, the external affairs ministry said on Friday (August 1) in a cautious response to American President Donald Trump’s broadsides on India’s tariffs and its cooperation with Russia.It also characterised India’s relations with Moscow as a “steady and time-tested partnership” that must not be viewed “from the prism of a third country”, and reiterated New Delhi’s position on buying Russian oil, saying that its energy purchases are guided by what is on offer in the market.Trump on Wednesday announced that Washington will levy a 25% tariff on Indian goods in addition to a yet-unveiled “penalty” for buying energy and military equipment from Russia.His tariff was set to kick in on Friday, but the executive order Trump signed on Thursday – which also enumerates new tariffs against dozens of other US trading partners – sets the date of its implementation as August 7.Alongside announcing the tariff on India, Trump said that while India is a “friend” of America’s, its tariffs are “far too high”, its non-monetary trade barriers are “the most strenuous and obnoxious … of any country”, and its economy – like Russia’s – is “dead”.Asked for comment, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that “we have taken note of the sanctions and are looking into it”.India and the US “share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties”, which has “weathered several transitions and challenges”, said Jaiswal.He continued: “We remain focused on the substantive agenda that the two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward.”This continues New Delhi’s cautious approach to Trump’s tariff threats against India, inside and out of parliament, since the president’s remarks on Wednesday as well as his announcements around the time he assumed office a second time.During the weekly press briefing on Friday, Jaiswal was also asked if New Delhi had officially registered its protest against Trump’s repeated claims of having mediated the Indo-Pakistani ceasefire in May, which the Narendra Modi-led government has consistently denied.“On the question of ceasefire also, from this podium also we have made it very clear [that] there have been several occasions [when] the government of India has made its position very clear … This is what I’m saying, we have conveyed our position publicly on this particular issue,” Jaiswal said, indicating that New Delhi did not convey its protestations through diplomatic channels.To questions on whether Trump’s salvo would impact coordination within the Quad grouping of countries or put a question mark on the president’s anticipated visit to India later this year for its summit, Jaiswal repeated his statement on India’s ‘confidence’ in the bilateral relationship.The spokesperson was also asked about India’s ties with Moscow in light of Trump’s remarks. “Our bilateral relationships with various countries stand on their own merit and should not be seen from the prism of a third country. India and Russia have a steady and time-tested partnership,” he replied.On reports that Indian refineries had paused purchases of Russian crude, Jaiswal repeated the Modi government’s stance on oil purchases.“You are aware of our broad approach that we look at what is … available in the markets, what is there on offer and also what is the prevailing global situation or circumstances. On the specific question, I am not aware of the specifics that you mentioned,” he said.In contrast to the ministry’s usual assertiveness on matters relating to Pakistan, Jaiswal declined to comment on Trump’s suggestion that India may one day purchase oil from Islamabad after the US develops Pakistan’s oil industry.When asked about reports suggesting that India had declined the Trump White House’s offer of F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets to the country, Jaiswal said that India’s ties with the US have “strengthened over the last several years and decades” and have the “potential … to grow further under the India-US COMPACT for the 21st century”, referring to a partnership launched during Modi’s visit to Washington in February.He referred the reporter to the ‘relevant ministry’ on his question of F-35s but later said in response to another query that the “sourcing of our defence requirements is determined solely by our national security imperatives and strategic assessments”.Citing the US’s trade deficit with India as well as the latter’s high tariffs, Trump had unveiled a 26% ‘reciprocal’ tariff on India earlier this year but deferred it pending the completion of negotiations over a trade deal.Talks pursuant to that deal are ongoing but New Delhi’s resistance to opening up its dairy and agricultural sector to America is reportedly a sticking point for Washington.Meanwhile, India since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has emerged as a top buyer of Moscow’s crude oil – which has come under heavy sanctions from the US and its allies – to Trump’s chagrin.Indian officials often argue that New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude has helped stabilise global prices. They also point out that Europe continues to import energy from Russia.