US tariff threats and drone strikes prompt India's active peacemaking shift

India’s recent push to become more involved in helping end the Russia-Ukraine war comes as the costs of the conflict continue to mount for New Delhi, amid the threat of US tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy and a recent drone attack on an Indian-owned pharmaceutical plant in Ukraine.

Sunday morning’s drone attack destroyed a large part of Kusum Group’s factory in Sumy, killing one person and injuring several others. The company, which has manufactured generic medicines in Ukraine since 2009, said the attack was particularly devastating as its warehouse had already suffered a drone strike in April last year.

The Ukrainian embassy in India condemned the attack in a social media post.

“The barbarians do not care that the factory belongs to Indian owners,” it wrote. “The hypocrites continue talking about the ‘historic friendship’ between India and Muscovy. In reality, death and destruction are the true face of Russian fascism, hidden behind the mask.”