In a rare and sharply worded rebuttal, the Indian government has forcefully rejected US president Donald Trump’s threat to 'substantially' raise tariffs on Indian goods over its continued import of Russian oil, calling the criticism 'unjustified and unreasonable' and exposing what it described as the double standards of America and the European Union (EU).
The response from India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) came within hours of president Trump’s post on social media platform Truth Social, in which he alleged that India was not only buying 'massive amounts' of Russian oil but was also 'selling it on the open market for big profits'.
The Indian government clarified that its energy purchases are driven by 'national interests and market forces' and are necessary to ensure affordable energy access for its citizens amid global disruptions caused by the Ukraine war.
In a strongly-worded statement, MEA said that India was being unfairly targeted despite having only increased its Russian oil imports after traditional suppliers redirected supplies to Europe in the wake of Western sanctions.
“It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,” the MEA said, adding, “Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.”
To underscore the disparity, the Indian government cited that the EU had bilateral trade in goods with Russia worth 67.5bn (billion) euros in 2024, and trade in services worth 17.2bn euros in 2023. EU imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) touched a record 16.5mn (million) tonnes in 2024 — surpassing the previous high of 15.21mn tonnes in 2022.
India’s own trade with Russia remains significantly lower by comparison.
The statement also pointed to the EU's ongoing imports of fertilizers, chemicals, mining products, iron and steel and machinery from Russia.
As for the US, India noted that it continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear sector, palladium for electric vehicles, as well as fertilizers and industrial chemicals from Russia, despite leading the global charge against Moscow.
Reiterating its stance on maintaining sovereignty over foreign policy and trade decisions, the Indian government asserted, “India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
India has repeatedly maintained that its energy purchases are not in violation of any international sanctions and are structured to keep prices within the G7 price cap of US$60 per barrel.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly 40% of India’s oil imports currently come from Russia — a sharp rise from pre-war levels, when Russian oil constituted just 0.2% of India’s basket.
President Trump, in a series of online posts and public comments, accused India of profiting from Russian oil while ignoring the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. He said on Monday, “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine... I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA.”
This comes after the Trump administration on Friday imposed a 25% tariff on all Indian goods, with the threat of secondary tariffs up to 100% looming over India’s Russian oil-related trade.
Indian government officials, speaking on background, dismissed these statements as political posturing. “India’s energy purchases are a function of market dynamics and national interest. We are not bound to justify them to third countries,” an official said.
Despite media reports suggesting a slowdown in Russian oil purchases, Indian officials have confirmed that there has been no official directive or change in policy.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal last week said, “You are aware of our broad approach to energy sourcing requirements, that we look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics [regarding a halt in Russian oil imports].”
He also emphasised that India’s international partnerships, including with Russia, are “time-tested” and “should not be seen through the prism of third countries.”
President Trump’s increasing pressure on India also comes amid his frustration over Russian president Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. He has set a deadline later this week for Russia to accept a ceasefire deal, failing which he indicated further punitive measures, including secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil.
Analysts warn that penalising India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, could spike global crude prices and destabilise energy markets. With India potentially forced to seek more expensive alternatives, global consumers, including Americans, may bear the cost.
Meanwhile, any retaliatory move from Russia, such as halting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium that transports Kazakh oil to Europe, could further escalate the global energy crisis.
India’s firm rebuttal signals it is unlikely to back down under US pressure, especially when similar trade practices are being followed by Western nations. New Delhi appears poised to continue balancing its energy needs with strategic autonomy, despite the growing geopolitical strain.
India should stop all exports, including medicines and Rice to US.