India Criticizes US Tariff on Imports Amid Dispute Over Russian Oil Purchases
The Indian government has responded strongly to the United States' decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports due to India's ongoing purchase of Russian oil. The Indian authorities termed the U.S. move as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable."
This reaction followed shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting Indian goods, criticizing New Delhi for not reducing its crude oil imports from Russia. The Indian government emphasized that its energy procurement strategy is guided solely by market factors and the necessity to secure energy for its population of 1.4 billion people.
"We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India," the statement asserted. "It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest."
Indian officials noted that the country's energy decisions align with its national priorities, a rationale shared by other nations seeking stable and affordable energy supplies amid global market volatility. They highlighted that targeting India while ignoring similar actions by other countries demonstrates a discriminatory stance.
The government further emphasized that energy trade with Russia is part of India’s broader strategic goal to diversify its supply sources, ensuring resilience against any disruptions in the global oil market.
"We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable. India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests," the statement concluded.
This latest development in tariff disputes adds to the growing list of trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington. Despite these issues, both countries continue to cooperate in other sectors, such as defense and technology partnerships. Analysts caution that further escalation could negatively affect bilateral trade volumes, which have already been pressured by previous tariff hikes and disputes at the World Trade Organization.
