India is owning up strongly its continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil, even as the United States is getting ready to impose steep tariff penalties over the trade. Speaking to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Indian Ambassador to Moscow Vinay Kumar said that the Indian companies will keep buying oil “from wherever they get the best deal.” India’s priority remains the same, energy security of its 1.4 billion citizens.
Kumar rejected Washington’s claim that Indian oil imports were financing Moscow’s war in Ukraine, calling the charge “unfair, unreasonable and unjustified.” He stated how India’s cooperation with Russia, as with many other countries, has helped bring stability to global energy markets. He added that the government would continue to take “all measures necessary” to protect the country’s national interests.
These statements from India come just days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s additional 25% penalty tariff on Indian imports linked to Russian oil purchases is set to take effect, raising the total tariff burden on Indian goods to 50%, the highest imposed by Washington in any country. The Trump administration has argued that such economic measures are intended to cut off Russia’s oil revenues and pressure Moscow to halt its military campaign in Ukraine.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance reinforced that position on Sunday, telling NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump was applying “aggressive economic leverage,” including “secondary tariffs on India,” to make it harder for Russia to profit from oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials have also been critical of India’s role, accusing India of “fueling the Kremlin’s war machine.”
Indian leaders, however, believe firmly that the U.S. is showing double standards. During a recent visit to Moscow, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where he also met President Vladimir Putin, said he was “very perplexed” by Washington’s actions. He highlighted that while India is being penalized, no such measures have been applied to China, the largest buyer of Russian crude, or to European countries, which continue to import Russian LNG.
Speaking at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum, Jaishankar remarked, “This is being presented as an oil issue, but the same arguments have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, or to Europe, the largest LNG importer. If you have a problem buying from India, don’t buy it. Nobody forces you to.”
Despite the unjustified tariffs, India and Russia have agreed to expand bilateral trade ties. Putin is expected to visit India later this year, signaling that U.S. pressure will have no effect and won’t derail the partnership. Meanwhile, the Trump administration maintains that Russia could be “re-invited into the world economy” if it ends the war, but will remain isolated if it does not.
For India, the message remains consistent: securing affordable energy supplies is a non-negotiable priority, regardless of external pressure.