India slams US, Europe's criticism over oil imports from Russia, points out their hypocricy
PTC News Desk: Just hours after US President Donald Trump warned of increasing tariffs on India over its continued purchase of Russian oil during the Ukraine war, India on Monday pushed back strongly against both Washington and the European Union, accusing them of hypocrisy over their stance on crude imports.
Criticising the US and EU’s objections, India called the backlash “unjustified and unreasonable,” especially given the ongoing and significant trade between Western nations and Moscow. Responding to Trump’s tariff threat, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) defended India’s oil deals, stating that the decision to buy discounted Russian oil came only after the Ukraine conflict began — when traditional suppliers shifted their exports to Europe. At that time, the MEA noted, the US itself had supported India’s move, seeing it as a way to help stabilise global energy markets.
The MEA emphasised that India’s energy imports from Russia are essential to ensuring affordable and predictable fuel prices for Indian consumers.
"India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," the ministry said in a statement.
Further highlighting the disparity, the ministry cited bilateral trade between the European Union and Russia in 2024, which were "significantly more than India’s total trade with Russia that year or subsequently."
"Where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals," the statement said.
- With inputs from agencies
