India has cautioned against “double standards”, at the same time as U.S. lawmakers think about a Bill that might impose 500% duties on India and different nations shopping for Russian oil.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ feedback comes after indications that U.S. President Donald Trump is backing the Russian Sanctions Act, launched by a closely-allied Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, and even threatened secondary tariffs of 100% on nations that proceed commerce on sanctioned Russian merchandise.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who met with Mr. Trump and members of the U.S. Congress, additionally issued a risk, in explicit to China, India and Brazil, who’re among the many prime patrons of Russian crude oil, oil merchandise, and coal. Mr. Rutte mentioned “Beijing and Delhi” ought to push Russian President Vladimir Putin in direction of ending the conflict in Ukraine, or face tariffs.
‘Energy needs are top priority’
Responding to questions on the difficulty on Thursday, the MEA mentioned it was following the developments “closely”. “Securing the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us. In this endeavour, we are guided by what is there on offer in the markets, as also by the prevailing global circumstances,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned.
“We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter,” he added, in a potential reference to the truth that European Union members proceed to acquire oil, LNG and pipeline fuel from Russia regardless of the sanctions, and are additionally main patrons of processed merchandise that undergo Indian refineries, together with Gujarat’s Nayara Energies, which has minority management by Russia’s ROSNEFT. However, whereas Russia sells about half its oil exports to China, and about 38% to India (as of February 2025), it exports solely about 6% to EU nations.
At an trade occasion in Delhi on Thursday, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri mentioned that India would “deal” with sanctions when they’re handed, declaring that India has diversified its provide sources, shopping for oil from about 40 nations now, versus 27 in the previous. However, regardless of requests from Tehran, India has not thus far reversed a call taken below stress from the primary Trump administration in 2017, to cease all oil imports from Iran.
Indian issues conveyed
The newest feedback from the federal government come as lawmakers in the U.S. put together to go ahead with the Russian Sanctions Act, 2025 that has been launched in the House and Senate, with 87 and 84 co-sponsors respectively, reducing throughout celebration strains. Section 17 of the Act proposes to impose 500% advert valorem duties on nations that purchase, promote or switch “oil, uranium, natural gas, petroleum products, or petrochemical products that originated in the Russian Federation”.
In Washington on July 2, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had confirmed that India’s “concerns” in regards to the Bill and “interests in energy security” had been conveyed to Mr. Graham who, together with Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, is sponsoring the Bill. Mr. Graham has mentioned that he believes Mr. Trump helps the regulation which might give him the facility to waive the duties for a interval of six months. However, the Republican lawmaker has urged the U.S. President to impose the sanctions sooner than the 50-day deadline proposed at current.
Talks on commerce, tariffs, deportees
The proposed sanctions additional complicate ties between New Delhi and Washington, who’re at present placing the final touches on a ‘mini’ commerce deal that officers say can be accomplished “soon”. Amidst intense negotiations over tariffs, in addition to market entry to India, notably in the areas of agriculture, dairy and genetically modified produce, New Delhi has additionally been coordinating with the U.S. authorities in regards to the deportation of Indians illegally resident in the U.S.
On Thursday, Mr. Jaiswal mentioned that 1,563 Indian nationals have been deported in the primary six months of Mr. Trump’s second tenure, from January 20 to July 15 this 12 months. According to ICE statistics, 1,529 immigration violators have been deported in all of 2024, and much lower than in the three previous years. After protests in India over the primary few batches of deportees being handcuffed and shackled on board army flights in February this 12 months, the U.S. agreed to ship Indians again by commercially chartered flights, together with as lately as final week.
