Despite mounting U.S. pressure, India has defended its oil purchases as a decision made due to its national interest.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would raise tariffs on Indian exports, citing the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

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“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits,” Trump posted on his platform, Truth Social.

“They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA,” he threatened.

India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has taken a neutral and pragmatic stance on the Ukraine conflict. Taking advantage of discounted prices offered by Moscow, India increased its oil imports from Russia from under 2% to more than a third of its total supply.

On Monday, the U.S. president also reaffirmed his position with another message on his social network threatening not only India but Russia.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!,” the Republican leader stressed.

Despite mounting U.S. pressure, India has defended its Russian oil purchases as a decision made in response to its national interest. Below is the statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in response to Trump’s threat:

“India has been targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict. In fact, India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict. The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability.

2. India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.

3. The European Union in 2024 had a bilateral trade of €67.5 billion in goods with Russia. In addition, it had trade in services estimated at €17.2 billion in 2023. This is significantly more than India’s total trade with Russia that year or subsequently. European imports of LNG in 2024, in fact, reached a record 16.5 million tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022.

4. Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilizers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel, and machinery and transport equipment.

5. Where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilizers, as well as chemicals.

6. In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable. Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE – Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry

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