India Slams Trump’s Tariff Threat, Calls Out West’s Double Standards on Russian Oil.
India on Monday delivered a strong rebuttal to former US President Donald Trump’s threat to hike tariffs over its oil trade with Russia, accusing both the United States and European Union of hypocrisy and selective outrage.
Hours after Trump criticised India for importing “massive amounts” of Russian oil and vowed to “substantially raise the tariff paid by India to the USA,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pushed back, calling the criticism “unjustified and unreasonable.”
In a pointed statement, the MEA reminded the West that India’s energy purchases are guided by national interest and are essential to maintain affordable fuel prices for its population amid global volatility. “India’s imports are a necessity compelled by market realities. But those pointing fingers at us continue their own substantial trade with Russia—without similar scrutiny,” the ministry said.
New Delhi also highlighted that the European Union’s trade with Russia in 2024 was significantly higher than India’s, and noted that the US itself imports Russian uranium, palladium, fertilisers, and chemicals. “Unlike our case, such trade is not a vital national compulsion,” the statement added.
Trump’s comments came in a Truth Social post, where he accused India of turning a blind eye to the war in Ukraine and warned of retaliatory tariffs. But India swiftly reminded the world that its energy policy is independent, pragmatic, and based on long-term security needs—not political posturing.
“At a time when global markets are in flux, India will continue to act in its own economic and strategic interest,” the MEA concluded, underscoring that any attempt to single out India while ignoring the broader global trade landscape is both unfair and misleading.
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