India responds to Trump’s threats of harsh tariffs over trade with Russia

"In fact, India began importing (oil - ed.) from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict (Russia’s war against Ukraine – ed.)," Jaiswal explained. "The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability."

He added that India is allegedly forced to buy Russian oil to ensure "predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer."

The Foreign Ministry representative also accused Western countries of continuing to trade with Russia despite sanctions, stressing that in their case, it is "not a vital" national necessity.

According to Jaiswal, in 2024, the European Union’s bilateral trade with Russia amounted to €67.5 billion, and the volume of services traded in 2023 totaled €17.2 billion. He claimed this is "more than India’s trade volume with Russia."

He also stated that in 2024, LNG imports to Europe "reached a record level" of 16.5 million tons, surpassing the previous 2022 record of 15.21 million tons.

Jaiswal accused the United States of importing uranium hexafluoride from Russia for the nuclear industry, palladium for electric vehicle production, as well as fertilizers and chemicals.

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

Trump's threats

Former US President Donald Trump previously stated that he would significantly raise tariffs against India.

The American leader emphasized that Delhi does not care about how many Ukrainians have died as a result of Russian aggression.