India on Monday called out the US and the European Union’s double standard on imports from Russia with evidence, reacting sharply and almost immediately to Donald Trump’s threat to “substantially” raise tariffs on India for “buying massive amounts of Russian oil” and selling it for “big profits”.

Providing details of the oil and other purchases made by the US and EU countries from Russia, the external affairs ministry said in a detailed statement that “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,” it added.

Earlier, Trump had in a post on his Truth Social platform said: “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. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to
the USA.”

The external affairs ministry statement was a suo motu one, not referencing media queries, as is often done when the government wants to respond to some development.

“India has been targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict,” the ministry spokesperson said.

“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 ministry said that India’s imports were meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer, and that these imports were necessitated by the global market situation.

“However, it is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” it said.