A US lawmaker has announced that he will urge his colleagues to advance the Russia sanctions Bill in the House and Senate to impose 500% secondary tariffs on India, China and Brazil.

Tensions between the two nuclear powers and major economic players could have critical implications for security and developments in the Global South.

India and China share a complicated relationship. The world’s two most populous nations are outright regional rivals who fought a border war in the 1960s. Relations have been at a low point since border clashes in 2020 left soldiers dead on both sides.

A relationship frozen after a deadly clash high in the Himalayas five years ago appears to be thawing under the heat of Washington’s economic pressure.

India will have to tread carefully though. The key challenge remains balancing national security concerns and the need to boost economic growth. Additionally, trade relations continue to be heavily imbalanced in favour of China, as Beijing’s trade surplus rose steadily during the two nations’ frosty period.