Washington DC: Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has slammed President Donald Trump for asserting plans to “very considerably” increase tariffs on Indian imports, following New Delhi’s continued oil purchases from Russia.
In a publish on X, she stated that whereas India’s oil commerce with Russia is a legitimate concern, China, which is at present the most important purchaser of Russian and Iranian oil, has been granted a 90-day tariff pause.
“India shouldn’t be shopping for oil from Russia. However China, an adversary and the primary purchaser of Russian and Iranian oil, acquired a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a cross and burn a relationship with a robust ally like India,” she posted.
India shouldn’t be shopping for oil from Russia. However China, an adversary and the primary purchaser of Russian and Iranian oil, acquired a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a cross and burn a relationship with a robust ally like India.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) August 5, 2025
Trump had stated he would increase tariffs on Indian items “very considerably” inside 24 hours, calling out India’s continued vitality commerce with Russia.
“India is just not solely shopping for huge quantities of Russian Oil, they’re then, for a lot of the Oil bought, promoting it on the Open Marketplace for huge earnings,” he wrote in an earlier publish on Fact Social.
He additional added, “They don’t care how many individuals in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian Struggle Machine. Due to this, I can be considerably elevating the Tariff paid by India to the USA.”
Trump additionally heighted, in an interview with CNBC, that India’s present tariffs on American imports have been too excessive, though he didn’t specify a revised charge.
India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs issued a response shortly after the U.S. announcement, calling the proposed motion “unjustified and unreasonable”.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated the choice to import oil from Russia got here after conventional suppliers shifted exports to Europe through the Ukraine battle. He added that america had beforehand acknowledged India’s choice as essential for world vitality market stability.
He clarified that India’s vitality imports serve home wants and guarantee steady pricing for shoppers. “It is a necessity compelled by the worldwide market state of affairs,” he stated.
He emphasised that international locations elevating issues about India’s commerce with Russia are themselves engaged in comparable commerce.
The European Union’s bilateral items commerce with Russia stood at 67.5 billion euro in 2024, with an extra 17.2 billion euro in companies recorded the yr earlier than. EU imports of liquefied pure gasoline from Russia reached a file 16.5 million tonnes this yr.
The information additionally confirmed that Europe’s imports from Russia included chemical substances, fertilizers, mining merchandise, metal and equipment.
In the meantime, america continues to import Russian uranium hexafluoride for nuclear energy, palladium for electrical automobiles and different industrial items.
Jaiswal reiterated that India’s commerce selections are primarily based on market dynamics and nationwide priorities. “Our ties with any nation stand on their advantage and shouldn’t be seen from the prism of a 3rd nation,” he stated.
He additionally added that India and Russia keep a “regular and time-tested partnership”.
In late July, america had introduced a 25 % reciprocal tariff on Indian items. Across the similar time, America and China agreed to a brief discount in their very own tariffs beneath a 90-day pause, throughout which U.S. tariffs have been introduced down from 145% to 30% and Chinese language duties from 125% to 10%, in response to Al Jazeera.
The dialogue round tariffs and commerce continues at a time when issues over rising world crude costs persist.
Analysts have warned that any main disruption in oil provide strains, together with India’s imports from Russia, might affect world vitality markets.