‘Unjustified and Unreasonable’: India Hits Back at Trump’s Tariff Warning, Slams West’s Double Standards on Russian Trade
India on Monday strongly rejected former US President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose higher tariffs over New Delhi’s continued import of Russian crude oil, terming his remarks “unjustified and unreasonable”.
In an official response, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) defended India’s energy procurement policy, asserting that the country’s oil imports from Russia are driven by practical market requirements, not by any political allegiance to Moscow.
“India’s crude oil purchases from Russia are a necessity, dictated by global energy market conditions,” the MEA said in a statement. “These decisions are made to ensure our national energy security and are not reflective of any geopolitical stance.”
The ministry further made it clear that India will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard its economic interests, signalling that it won’t bow to external pressure on matters of national policy.
MEA Points to Western Hypocrisy
In a detailed rebuttal, the Indian government also exposed what it called “Western double standards”—pointing out that both the United States and the European Union have continued trade ties with Russia, including in key energy and industrial sectors.
The MEA highlighted that:
- The US continues to import uranium hexafluoride from Russia, vital for its nuclear power sector.
- Several EU countries maintain Russian gas contracts despite taking a public stance against Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
India urged that it should not be selectively targeted for actions that are mirrored, or even exceeded, by those criticising it.
This firm response comes after Trump, on his Truth Social platform, accused India of profiting from resale of Russian oil and vowed to impose stricter tariffs. However, he did not specify the scale of new duties he intended to implement.
India’s stand underscores its growing assertion of strategic autonomy in the face of global geopolitical tensions.
