External affairs minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said India is “perplexed” at Washington’s logic over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
Speaking in Moscow after a bilateral meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, Jaishankar underlined that India is not the biggest buyer of Russian energy and questioned US criticism of its purchases.
“We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil, that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG, that is the European Union. We are not the country which has the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022; I think there are some countries to the South,” Jaishankar said at a joint news briefing with Lavrov.
The minister pointed out that the United States itself had urged India to stabilise the world energy market, which included buying oil from Russia.
“We also buy oil from the US, and that amount has increased. So honestly, we are very perplexed at the logic of the argument,” he remarked.
His comments come amid heightened trade tensions with Washington. The United States has imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India, along with an additional 25 per cent levy on purchases of Russian oil, resulting in a total duty of 50 per cent.
US President Donald Trump had earlier pressed India to stop buying Russian oil, claiming it fuelled the Ukraine war.
Donald Trump’s trade czar Peter Navarro in his criticism, accused India of enabling Moscow through what he described as a circular trade.
“Here is how the India-Russia oil mathematics works. American consumers buy Indian goods. India uses those dollars to purchase discounted Russian crude. That crude is then refined and resold worldwide by Indian profiteers working with silent Russian partners, while Russia secures hard currency to fuel its war machine in Ukraine,” Navarro alleged on August 18.
The US has not imposed tariffs on China over its Russian oil imports. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent defended the disparity, alleging that India had increased its imports hugely after the commencement of the war and accused New Delhi of “profiteering by reselling” the oil.
India has defended its energy purchases from Moscow as being driven by “market conditions” and national interest.
Jaishankar emphasised that sustaining energy cooperation through trade and investments with Russia was important for New Delhi.
Jaishankar highlighted that India and Russia have been “the steadiest of the major relationships in the world after the Second World War.”
He added that defence and military technical cooperation “remains robust” and noted that “Russia supports India’s ‘Make in India’ goals, including joint production and technology transfer.”
“We need to adapt to the evolving geopolitical situation, the shifting economic and trade landscape, and our shared goal to maximise our complementarity,” the minister said.
Lavrov called ties a “special strategic partnership” shaped by the leaders of the two countries.
He said the meeting came against the backdrop of a multipolar world order and growing importance of organisations such as the SCO, BRICS and the G20.
“This is a multipolar system of international relations with an increasing role played by the SCO, BRICS and the G20. And, of course, the United Nations, which remains a platform for cooperation, compromise and seeking agreement,” Lavrov said.
Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow included talks with deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. He described the discussions as an opportunity to review both political ties and bilateral cooperation across trade, economics, investment, defence, science and technology, as well as people-to-people exchanges.
“Doing more and doing differently should be our mantras,” he told Manturov, urging Russian companies to engage “more intensively” with Indian counterparts and avoid getting “stuck on a beaten track.”
The external affairs minister referred to recent high-level engagements, including the 22nd Annual Summit last year and leadership meetings in Kazan.
He added that preparations were underway for the next summit at the end of this year. Jaishankar also noted visits by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and NITI Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery as proof of the depth of the relationship.