Russia has accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington is using a wide range of "coercive" measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions, to fulfil its objective of global economic dominance. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also accused the US of using "unfair methods" to suppress competitors by imposing sanctions on Russian oil companies. Trump, while announcing a trade deal with New Delhi last week, claimed India agreed not to procure crude oil from Russia. In the order, the US said it would monitor whether India resumed Russian oil purchases directly or indirectly, and that would determine whether a 25 per cent tariff would again be re-imposed. India formally assumed on January 1, 2026, the chairmanship of BRICS, a 10-member bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members.

Source: The Telegraph February 10, 2026 12:38 UTC