On September 26, 2025, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strong rebuttal to remarks made by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, labeling his statements as “factually incorrect,” “entirely baseless,” and “unacceptable.”
Rutte, speaking to CNN on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, claimed that US tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump were impacting India’s trade relations with Russia, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek clarification from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Moscow’s strategy in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
The Indian government swiftly dismissed these assertions, emphasizing the need for greater responsibility and accuracy from leaders of influential institutions like NATO.
Background of the Controversy
Rutte’s comments centered on the economic repercussions of US tariffs on India, specifically a 25% reciprocal tariff and an additional 25% penalty on India’s continued imports of Russian oil, which Trump has argued indirectly funds Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. According to Rutte, these tariffs have placed India in a challenging position, leading Modi to engage directly with Putin to discuss Russia’s military strategy.
“Delhi is on the phone with Putin, and Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs,” Rutte stated, suggesting that the tariffs were pressuring India to reassess its neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The MEA, through its spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, categorically rejected Rutte’s narrative during a weekly media briefing. “The statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless,” Jaiswal declared, adding, “We expect the leadership of an important institution like NATO to exercise greater responsibility and accuracy in public statements.” India’s sharp response underscores its commitment to maintaining strategic autonomy and its displeasure with external actors attempting to misrepresent its diplomatic engagements.
India’s Stance on Strategic Autonomy
India has consistently maintained a balanced approach in its foreign policy, particularly regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While abstaining from UN resolutions condemning Russia, India has advocated for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis.
Prime Minister Modi has engaged with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent months, including a visit to Ukraine in August 2024 and subsequent phone calls with Putin and US President Joe Biden. These efforts reflect India’s proactive role in fostering peace talks, contrary to Rutte’s implication that India’s actions are driven solely by economic pressures from US tariffs.
India’s rebuttal also highlights its sensitivity to external commentary on its bilateral relations, especially with Russia, a long-standing strategic partner. The country has faced criticism from Western nations for continuing to purchase Russian oil, which India defends as a necessity to meet its energy needs.
In July 2025, when Rutte warned India, China, and Brazil of potential “100% secondary sanctions” for trading with Russia, India’s MEA responded by cautioning against double standards, noting that NATO members like Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia also import Russian energy without facing similar threats.
NATO’s Role and Diplomatic Overreach
Rutte’s remarks have sparked broader questions about NATO’s role in global trade and diplomacy. As the head of a military alliance focused on collective defense, Rutte’s comments on India’s trade policies and bilateral engagements with Russia have been criticized as overstepping NATO’s mandate.
Former Indian envoy Kanwal Sibal described Rutte as “out of his geopolitical depth,” arguing that NATO lacks the authority to dictate trade policies to sovereign nations like India, which is not a NATO member. This sentiment was echoed in Indian media, with outlets like India Today questioning, “Who’s Rutte to warn a sovereign country?”
The controversy also reflects tensions between India and Western institutions amid a shifting global order. Rutte’s alignment with Trump’s tariff threats, particularly his reference to the BRICS grouping as an “anti-American” bloc, suggests a broader Western agenda to counter the rising influence of non-aligned nations. India, a key BRICS member, has resisted such pressures, emphasizing its right to an independent foreign policy prioritizing national interests.
US Tariffs and India’s Response
The tariffs in question, announced by Trump in August 2025, include a 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods and an additional 25% penalty tied to India’s Russian oil imports. These measures are part of Trump’s broader strategy to penalize countries trading with Russia, with proposed legislation in the US Congress suggesting up to 500% tariffs on such nations. India, alongside China and Brazil, has been targeted for its energy trade with Russia, which accounts for a significant portion of Moscow’s export revenues.
India has responded robustly to these pressures. In August 2025, the MEA countered US and EU criticisms by highlighting their own trade with Russia, questioning the morality of penalizing India while Western nations continue to import Russian energy.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led a delegation to New York in September 2025 to negotiate a potential bilateral trade agreement with the US, signaling India’s intent to address tariff disputes through dialogue rather than capitulation.
Implications for India-NATO Relations
Rutte’s remarks and India’s sharp response underscore the delicate balance in India’s relations with Western institutions. While India has deepened defense and economic ties with the US in recent years, it remains wary of aligning too closely with Western military alliances like NATO, especially given its historical non-aligned stance.
The incident also highlights the complexities of global trade and security dynamics in 2025. As the US leverages tariffs to influence foreign policy, non-aligned nations like India face increasing pressure to navigate competing interests. India’s rejection of Rutte’s claims reaffirms its commitment to strategic autonomy, signaling to both NATO and the US that it will not be coerced into altering its diplomatic or economic priorities.
India’s swift and firm rebuttal to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s claims demonstrates its resolve to protect its sovereignty and challenge misrepresentations of its foreign policy. By dismissing Rutte’s remarks as baseless and calling for greater responsibility from NATO’s leadership, India has sent a clear message that it will not tolerate external interference in its bilateral relations or trade decisions.
As global tensions rise, India’s insistence on strategic autonomy and its proactive diplomatic efforts position it as a key player in shaping a multipolar world order.
