India responds to Trump tariff threat, strongly rejects criticism over its energy ties with Russia

India on Monday mounted an unusually sharp counterattack on the US and the European Union for their "unjustified and unreasonable" targeting of New Delhi for its procurement of Russian crude oil.

New Delhi's response came hours after US President Donald Trump asserted that Washington will substantially raise tariffs on goods from India over its energy ties with Russia.

Firmly rejecting the criticism, India pointed out the double standards in targeting it on the issue and said both the US and the EU are continuing their trade relations with Russia.

"Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Statement by Official Spokesperson⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/O2hJTOZBby pic.twitter.com/RTQ2beJC0W

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 4, 2025

The Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilizers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel, and machinery and transport equipment, the MEA said in a late-evening statement.

"Where the US is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilizers as well as chemicals," it added.

"In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable. Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security," the MEA said.

It said India has been "targeted" by the US and the EU for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict.

In fact, India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict, it said.

"The US at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability," the MEA said, adding India's imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumers.

"They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia," it said.

The MEA noted that the European Union in 2024 had a bilateral trade of Euro 67.5 billion in goods with Russia.

"In addition, it had trade in services estimated at Euro 17.2 billion in 2023. This is significantly more than India's total trade with Russia that year or subsequently.

"European imports of LNG in 2024, in fact, reached a record 16.5mn tonnes, surpassing the last record of 15.21mn tonnes in 2022," it added.

Earlier, US President Trump said his administration will substantially raise tariffs on India.

"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," he said in a social media post.

"They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," he said.