Russia weighs into U.S.-India tariff spat, saying New Delhi can choose its own trade partners

Gavriil Grigorov | Via ReutersRussia on Tuesday weighed into the growing spat between India and the U.S., with the Kremlin saying New Delhi is free to choose its own trading partners.Washington and India's leadership are at loggerheads over imports of Russian oil, with U.S

President Donald Trump threatening New Delhi with much steeper tariffs if it continues to purchase the commodity from Russia.The Kremlin, an important trading partner of India's and one which had stayed silent as the spat erupted in the last few days, ed that Trump's tariff threats are "attempts to force countries to stop trade relations with Russia.""We do not consider such statements to be legitimate," Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov continued, speaking to reporters Tuesday."We believe that sovereign countries should have, and have the right to choose their own trade partners, partners in trade and economic cooperation

And to choose those trade and economic cooperation regimes that are in the interests of a particular country."The dispute between Trump and New Delhi is being closely watched by investors after Trump threatened on Monday that he would be "substantially raising" the tariffs on India, although he did not specify the level of the higher tariffs

The president had threatened a 25% duty on Indian exports, as well as an unspecified "penalty" last week.He also accused India of buying discounted Russian oil and "selling it on the Open Market for big fits."Read moreIndia calls out EU and U.S. on trade with Russia after Trump threatens steeper tariffs on New DelhiTrump’s penalty threat puts India in a bind over Russian oilOil falls as OPEC+ output hikes counter Russia disruption concernsIndia hit back at the U.S. later on Monday, accusing it and the European Union of hypocrisy."It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia

Un our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion [for them]," the foreign ministry said in a statement.Western countries have used sanctions and import restrictions as a way to stifle Moscow's oil export-generated revenues that fund its war machine against Ukraine

Energy Information Administration said earlier this year.— CNBC's Lim Hui Jie contributed reporting to this story.