New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- Russia has accused the United States of exerting pressure on India, slamming the country for issuing 'threats' over New Delhi's trade relations with Kremlin.

It said that such pressure was illegal, and the US has no right to choose trading partners for countries.

"We hear many statements that are in fact threats, attempts to force countries to cut trade relations with Russia. We do not consider such statements to be legal," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We believe that sovereign countries should have and do have the right to choose their own trading partners, partners for trade and economic cooperation, and to choose for themselves the forms of trade and economic cooperation that are in the inter...