India to Buy Oil From ‘Best Deal’ Source, Defies US Tariffs, Says Envoy to Russia

India will continue to purchase oil from wherever it can secure the “best deal,” New Delhi’s ambassador to Moscow, Vinay Kumar, has declared, pushing back firmly against recent US tariffs imposed over India’s energy trade with Russia. The envoy’s strong statement underscores India’s commitment to prioritizing its energy security for its 1.4 billion people over external political pressure.

Speaking to the Russian state news agency TASS, Ambassador Kumar condemned Washington’s decision to double tariffs on Indian imports to 50% as “unfair, unreasonable and unjustified.” He characterized the move as a penalty that undermines the principles of fair trade and stressed that India’s primary objective is ensuring a stable energy supply for its massive population.

“Our objective is energy security of 1.4 billion people of India and India’s cooperation with Russia as well as several other countries has helped to bring about stability in the global oil market,” Kumar said. He made it clear that commercial viability would be the deciding factor for Indian companies. “If the basis of commercial transaction trade imports are right, Indian companies will continue buying from wherever they get the best deal.”

The ambassador’s remarks align with the government’s consistent stance on the issue. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also recently criticized the tariff hike as “unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing that New Delhi would not compromise the interests of its farmers and small producers. As the world’s third-largest oil importer, India has significantly increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude since 2022, despite Western sanctions on Moscow.

Kumar also pointed out that other nations, including the US and European countries, continue to trade with Russia. “Our trade is based on market factors,” he reiterated.

Addressing the logistical challenges posed by sanctions, the envoy confirmed that India and Russia have established a stable and functional system for trade settlements in their national currencies. “There is no problem now in payment for oil imports,” he said, highlighting the robustness of the bilateral trade mechanism that has allowed energy trade to flourish.