India has made it clear that when it comes to energy security, national interest comes first. In a recent interview with Russia’s state broadcaster TASS, India’s Ambassador to Moscow, Vinay Kumar, stated that Indian companies will continue purchasing oil from “wherever they get the best deal.” This signals that New Delhi will not bow to U.S. pressure, even as Donald Trump threatens 50% tariffs on Indian imports if Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t stop buying Russian crude.
The ambassador emphasized that India and Russia already have a rupee-ruble trade settlement mechanism, which means payments for oil imports are running smoothly despite Western sanctions. He also dismissed concerns about Russia’s economic struggles, underlining that bilateral trade is functioning without major hurdles.
These remarks are likely to anger Trump, who has previously taken to social media to criticize India, China, Canada, and Mexico over trade issues. According to the BBC, Mr. Kumar even described Trump’s proposed tariffs as “unfair, unreasonable, and unjustified.” Since India already faces 25% U.S. tariffs on certain goods, Trump’s additional 50% hike would be seen as excessive by New Delhi.
India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar also defended the country’s stance. He pointed out the irony of a pro-business U.S. administration criticizing India for engaging in legitimate trade. He further highlighted the double standard that Washington has not imposed similar sanctions on China, despite Beijing also buying large amounts of Russian oil.
Meanwhile, Trump has accused India of not just buying discounted Russian crude, but reselling it on global markets for profit—while Ukraine suffers from the ongoing war. On his TruthSocial platform, Trump wrote:
“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. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine.”
Diplomatic activity around this issue is intensifying. Ukraine’s Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, has hinted that President Volodymyr Zelensky may visit New Delhi later this year. At the same time, Moscow confirmed that Vladimir Putin is also planning a visit to India in the coming months, underlining India’s balancing act between great powers.
For New Delhi, the bottom line is clear: energy security and affordable oil take precedence over external pressure. With the world’s largest population and a rapidly growing economy, India’s approach remains pragmatic buying oil “wherever it gets the best deal.”
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