New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) The Indian government on Monday said that the targeting of the country by the US over Russian oil purchase is unjustified and unreasonable, after American President Donald Trump threatened to impose hefty tariffs on New Delhi.

An official statement said that like any major economy, “India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security”.

According to the government, India has been targeted by the United States and the European Union 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. The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability,” the Centre emphasised.

“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 criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” the government highlighted.

New Delhi reacted after Trump threatened to substantially raise tariffs on India for purchasing oil from Russia. “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. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” Trump wrote in his social media post.

“Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA,” he added.

According to the Indian government, 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 16.5 million tonnes, surpassing the last record of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022. Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilizers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel and machinery and transport equipment,” said the official statement.

The government further stated that where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilizers as well as chemicals.

“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 government stressed.

–IANS

na/pgh