India has issued a stern counter to the United States after a threat by President Donald Trump to hike Indian goods tariffs sharply due to the country's continued purchase of Russian oil.
In a sharp reaction, New Delhi reminded Washington that it had actually been in favor of India buying Russian crude in the initial phase of the Ukraine war.
India also shot at the European Union, condemning what it labeled as unfair targeting of Indian refiners for crude oil exports, even as those same countries have substantial commercial relationships with Russia.
The Ministry of External Affairs justified India's imports of energy as an inevitable result of prevailing global market forces. It also alleged hypocrisy on the part of critics, indicating that many Western countries still deal with Russia even when it is not absolutely necessary for their survival.
In order to drive home its argument, the government presented the level of trade between the EU and Russia: "In 2024, the European Union had a bilateral trade value of €67.5 billion in goods with Russia, as well as an estimated €17.2 billion worth of services trade in 2023. Those numbers dwarf India's overall trade with Russia during the same timeframe," the announcement stated. It also pointed out that EU imports of Russian LNG hit a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024—up from the earlier high of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022.
European trade with Russia, the statement went on, is far wider than oil and gas, and covers industries such as fertilisers, mining products, chemicals, steel, iron, machinery, and transport equipment.
Looking at the U.S., the government observed, "The United States continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear power sector, palladium for the production of electric vehicles, as well as different chemicals and fertilisers from Russia."
India's move towards Russian oil, the statement claimed, was necessitated by the abrupt diversion of historic suppliers to Europe following the war. "The U.S. at that point actively encouraged Indian imports from Russia to help stabilise the global energy market," the government reminded.
Denouncing recent U.S. and EU rhetoric as "unreasonable and unjustified," the government underlined that it would do what it had to in its national interest. "As with any major economy, India will do what is needed to safeguard its economic security and sovereign interests," it stated.
New Delhi's sharp reaction came only hours after Donald Trump issued a warning on his social media site, Truth Social: "I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he wrote without elaborating.
Trump had previously threatened to impose a tariff of up to 100% on nations buying Russian oil unless Moscow would sign a peace agreement with Ukraine between August 7 and 9. A 25% import tariff on Indian items has already been announced by the U.S. government to commence on August 7.
India traditionally relied on oil supplies from the Middle East. However, that changed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when Western sanctions led Moscow to offer oil at discounted prices—prompting New Delhi to pivot its energy procurement strategy.
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