Trump Targets India Again Over Russian Oil; New Delhi Hits Back

In yet another swipe at India, US President Donald Trump has accused New Delhi of profiting off the Ukraine war by buying discounted oil from Russia and reselling it for gains. India, hitting back sharply, has called the targeting “unjustified and unreasonable,” and asserted that it will take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its national interests and economic security.

Posting on his platform Truth Social on Monday, 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.”

He added that, as a result, he would be “substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA.”

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114971053091282290

This latest outburst comes just days after Trump announced a 25% tariff, along with an unspecified “penalty”, on Indian imports, citing the country’s continued purchases of Russian energy and defence equipment.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a strongly-worded statement issued late Monday, said that India only turned to Russian oil after traditional suppliers shifted exports to Europe at the start of the Ukraine conflict. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reminded that, at the time, the US had “actively encouraged such imports by India to help stabilise the global energy market.”

“Our oil imports are driven by national need and global market conditions,” Jaiswal said. “India has always acted in good faith and in alignment with its own energy security requirements.”

He pointed out that while the West criticises India, it continues to do significant business with Russia. In 2024, the European Union conducted goods trade worth €67.5 billion with Russia, and services trade of another €17.2 billion, far more than India’s total trade with Moscow.

Jaiswal further noted that the US itself continues to import Russian goods like uranium, palladium, fertilisers, and chemicals. “In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,” he said. “India will, like any major economy, take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar echoed this sentiment at a cultural event in Delhi. “We live in complicated and uncertain times. The desire is for a fair global order, not one dominated by a few,” he said.

Trump’s latest post has also sent shockwaves through Indian export sectors. With a 25% tariff set to come into effect from August 1, many Indian exporters, particularly in apparel and footwear, fear massive job losses and a shrinking US market.

This isn’t Trump’s first criticism of India’s Russia ties, but it is the first time he has accused India of re-exporting Russian oil for profit, a charge that doesn’t align with facts. India does not export crude oil; what it does export is refined fuel like petrol, diesel, and jet fuel. These refined products, made using a variety of crude sources including Russian oil, are legally sold to international buyers, including in Europe.

India has long maintained that its fuel trade is fully legal and within international norms, especially as Russian oil is not under direct sanctions but rather subject to a price cap system introduced by the West to prevent market disruption.

While the Biden administration had previously accepted India's energy policy, balancing sanctions and global supply concerns, Trump has adopted a far more confrontational tone — pushing for harsher penalties against countries continuing trade with Russia.

Interestingly, Trump has refrained from levelling similar criticism against China, which is in fact the largest buyer of Russian oil. According to research group GTRI, China imported $62.6 billion worth of Russian oil in 2024, compared to India’s $52.7 billion. Yet Trump’s rhetoric has squarely focused on New Delhi, which analysts see as a strategic political move.

Amid growing pressure, Indian refiners have already started reducing their Russian oil intake. July saw a 24% month-on-month decline in Russian crude imports, down to 1.6 million barrels per day. The share of Russian oil in India’s total imports also dipped significantly.

Industry insiders suggest this shift is partly driven by concerns over mounting Western pressure. Talks are underway between the Indian government and oil companies to weigh future options, depending on how the geopolitical landscape unfolds, and on whether Trump intensifies his stance.

For now, India insists that its energy policy will be dictated by its own needs and realities, not by political rhetoric. As MEA’s Jaiswal made clear, “Energy decisions are made in India, for India.”

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