India’s foreign ministry stated on Monday that the United States and the European Union were “targeting” it for its purchase of Russian oil, labeling the actions as “unjustified” and vowing to protect its interests. The ministry’s response came after US President Donald Trump pledged to increase tariffs on the country because of its oil purchases from Russia. “The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,” said India Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal in a statement. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” he added, without providing further details on what these measures might entail.
India became a primary buyer of Russian oil, giving Moscow a much-needed export market after it was cut off from traditional European customers following the war in Ukraine. This trade saved New Delhi billions of dollars while boosting Moscow’s revenue. On Monday, India defended its actions by arguing it “began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict.” It also noted that Washington had “actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability” at that time.
The statement pointed to what it suggested were double standards in the EU and US trade with Moscow. “It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,” Jaiswal said. He added that, “Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.” Jaiswal provided specific examples of ongoing deals with Moscow. “Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilisers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel and machinery and transport equipment,” the statement added. “Where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals.”
India, the world’s most populous country, was one of the first major economies to engage in broader trade discussions with the Trump administration. The United States is India’s largest trading partner, with New Delhi exporting goods worth $87.4 billion in 2024. However, India’s protectionist trade policies resulted in a surplus of nearly $46 billion in the same year. On Monday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that India was “buying massive amounts of Russian Oil” and selling it for “big profits.” “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA,” he wrote, though he did not specify the new tariff level. For now, an existing 10% US tariff on Indian products is expected to rise to 25% on Thursday. Last month, the EU and Britain sought to increase economic pressure on Russia by lowering a price cap intended to reduce revenues from key oil exports.
