Key Points

On US President Trump saying he will substantially raise tariffs on India over Russian oil purchases, Robinder Sachdev told ANI, "Coming to the fact that he (Donald Trump) is repeatedly mentioning and with increasing frequency about India and our purchases of Russian oil, this topic has come into his radar and is in its crosshairs."

He also noted that all countries are experiencing this "Trump policy" and said that India will "adjust" to it.

"So it is highly possible that Trump could go ahead with the sanctions on India. As of now, it's already 25% which is also pretty high, but such is the case with all countries in the world, be it Japan, Switzerland or the European Union. All countries are facing this Trump policy. So we will adjust to it. But the point is that if the US enhances the tariffs for buying Russian oil, it can be anything."

Sachdev commented on the impact 25 per cent tariff on India

"Trump can say 25%, 50%...If they are pressing down on India, why is he not pressing down on China with the same intensity? We are not hearing anything from him about China. China is also buying Russian oil to the same extent...From a purely economic basis, if 25% tariffs are imposed upon us, India stands to lose exports to the tune of anywhere between 20-30 billion dollars..."

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) noted that "China--not India--is the largest buyer of Russian oil. In 2024, China imported $62.6 billion worth of Russian oil, compared to India's $52.7 billion. But Mr. Trump appears unwilling to criticize China, perhaps because of geopolitical calculations, and instead targets India unfairly," said Founder Ajay Srivastava.

In a latest statement by US President Donald Trump on Monday, he said that the United States will "substantially raise" the tariff paid by India for buying "massive amounts of Russian Oil", stating that much of the oil purchased from Moscow is being sold in the open market "for big profits".

Trump wrote on Truth Social, "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. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!"India has defended its sovereign right to conduct energy policy based on national interest.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday came out strongly in defence of the country's decision to import oil from Russia, despite criticism from the United States and European Union.

According to the MEA, India's imports from Russia are driven by necessity and aimed at ensuring predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers.

The MEA described the criticism of India's trade policy as "unjustified and unreasonable," asserting that India will take necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.

- ANI