India has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to impose higher tariffs on its exports, calling out the double standards of both the United States and the European Union over ongoing trade with Russia.
In a strongly worded statement on Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) labeled the proposed action as “unjustified and unreasonable,” citing Western nations’ continued commerce with Moscow despite criticizing India’s own purchases.
The MEA explained that India turned to Russian energy imports only after its traditional suppliers diverted volumes to Europe following the Russia-Ukraine war. “The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets’ stability,” the ministry said. India emphasized that its purchases were necessary to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs for its citizens amid volatile global supply dynamics.
India’s MEA stated that those accusing it, primarily Washington and Brussels, continue to engage in far more substantial trade with Russia themselves. “These nations are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,” the MEA noted, “and such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.” In 2024 alone, the EU’s bilateral trade in goods with Russia hit €67.5 billion, alongside an estimated €17.2 billion in services in 2023. Europe’s LNG imports from Russia surged to a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024.
India revealed that Washington still buys uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear sector, palladium for electric vehicles, and various fertilizers and chemicals from Russia.
The MEA reinforced that targeting India while the West maintains these imports reflects an unfair narrative aimed at deflecting from Western dependency on critical Russian commodities.
India reaffirmed its right to act in its national interest, asserting that “like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
