India, Aug. 2 -- In the face of President Donald Trump's punitive tariffs on Indian goods and criticism of energy and defence purchases from Russia, India on Friday said its ties with the US had overcome several challenges and New Delhi is committed to taking the relationship forward.

Responding to the US's 25% reciprocal tariff that becomes effective on August 7 and an unspecified additional penalty for purchasing Russian oil, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing that India remains focused on the "substantive agenda" that the two sides have agreed on to drive the relationship. He also pointed to the potential for growing the "strong defence partnership" with the US.

At the same time, Jaisw...