Mon, 04 Aug 2025

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 India calls Trump's tariff threat over Russian oil 'unjustified'

The US president threatened to "substantially" raise tariffs against India over its purchase of oil from Russia.
India has criticized US President Donald Trump's threat to impose "substantially" higher tariffs on Indian oil imports from Russia as "unjustified and unreasonable". This comes after Trump posted on Truth Social that he would raise levies, stating India doesn't care about the deaths in Ukraine caused by the Russian war machine. India is one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, which became an important export market for Moscow after several European countries cut trade with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump's new tariff threat follows a recent 25% levy on India. A spokesperson for India's foreign ministry stated that the US had encouraged India to import Russian gas at the start of the conflict, citing global energy market stability. The spokesperson also criticized the US for introducing tariffs when it continues to trade with Russia itself. India imported $3.5bn worth of goods from Russia last year despite tough sanctions and tariffs. The foreign ministry stated that India will take measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. "The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable," the statement added. Trump's latest post on Truth Social criticized India for buying massive amounts of Russian oil, then selling it on the open market for profits. He warned of raising tariffs paid by India to the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not ordered Indian oil refineries to stop buying Russian oil. Former trade official and head of GTRI think tank Ajay Srivastava stated that Trump's claims about India's oil trade with Russia are misleading, as the trade is transparent and broadly understood by the US. India ramped up purchases of oil from Russia to help stabilize global markets after Western sanctions disrupted supplies. Oil refineries decide where to buy crude based on factors like price, supply security, and export rules, operating independently of the government.
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