New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has strongly reacted to recent statements by US President Donald Trump threatening "unspecified penalties" over India's growing trade and defence ties with Russia.

In a press release, the organisation described these threats, including the imposition of a 25% tariff hike, as coercive tactics that India must firmly resist.

SJM reaffirmed India's right to independently procure defence equipment and secure affordable crude oil, highlighting their essential role in ensuring national security and containing inflation. The Manch asserted that India's strategic choices cannot be dictated by foreign pressure, especially in the context of its emergence as a global power -- a status it says was...