India Slams Trump’s New Tariffs As ‘Unfair and Unjustified,’ Vows To Protect National Interests
India has issued a powerful condemnation of the United States’ decision to impose additional tariffs over its continued import of Russian oil, labeling the move as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” In a firmly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pushed back against Washington’s punitive measures, asserting that its energy procurement is driven by national necessity.
The MEA’s response came after US President Donald Trump announced a fresh 25% tariff on Indian imports, directly linking the action to New Delhi’s energy ties with Moscow. “Our imports are governed by market dynamics and are undertaken with the overarching goal of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indian citizens,” the MEA statement emphasized.
Describing the US action as “deeply regrettable,” the ministry pointed out that numerous other countries continue to import Russian oil based on their own national interests and that singling out India is discriminatory. The government reiterated that it will take “all necessary steps to safeguard the country’s national interests.”
The new tariff, detailed in an executive order on the White House website, is set to take effect in 21 days and comes on top of a separate 25% tariff scheduled to be enforced from August 7. The order explicitly states that punitive duties are “necessary and appropriate” because India is “currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.”
The move follows a series of accusations from President Trump, who recently wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that India is profiting from discounted Russian crude and that “they don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine.”
