New Delhi: India on Monday issued a strong rebuttal to criticism from the United States and the European Union over its continued energy trade with Russia, calling the accusations “unjustified and unreasonable.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the West’s double standards, pointing out that both the US and EU maintain significant trade relations with Russia even amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The sharp response followed remarks from former US President Donald Trump, who threatened to sharply increase tariffs on Indian goods, accusing New Delhi of profiting from its oil imports from Moscow.
In a detailed statement, the MEA underscored that unlike India’s situation—where crude imports are essential to meet domestic energy needs—the US and EU continue to import a wide range of goods from Russia, including energy products, chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial equipment, without facing the same scrutiny.
“Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” the ministry said, pointing to ongoing Western imports of Russian uranium, palladium, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), among others.
It added, “Targeting India under these circumstances is neither fair nor reasonable. India will continue to take steps necessary to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
The government also clarified that India’s increased oil imports from Russia began only after traditional suppliers diverted shipments to Europe in the wake of the Ukraine war.
“At that time, the US even encouraged India to buy Russian oil to help stabilize global energy markets,” the MEA said.
India emphasized that its energy purchases are guided by affordability and predictability to serve domestic needs, not by geopolitical alignments.
Highlighting the scale of Western trade with Russia, the MEA noted that in 2024 alone, the EU recorded €67.5 billion in goods trade and an additional €17.2 billion in services with Russia—far surpassing India’s total trade volumes with the country.
The EU also imported a record 16.5 million tonnes of LNG from Russia that year.
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Responding to Trump’s accusations that India is profiting from Russian oil sales, the MEA maintained that India’s energy transactions are legal and transparent.
Meanwhile, Moscow defended India’s right to pursue independent trade relations.
“Sovereign nations must be free to choose their economic partners based on their own interests,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, responding to Trump’s tariff threat.
Trump had earlier claimed that India is “buying massive amounts of Russian oil” and reselling it at a profit, accusing New Delhi of ignoring the humanitarian cost of the war in Ukraine.
