US President Donald Trump on Tuesday mentioned he “would not know something” about the US importing fertilisers and chemical compounds from Russia, responding to India’s accusation of double requirements over Washington’s criticism of New Delhi’s Russian oil commerce.Trump’s remarks got here throughout a press convention on the White Home, when a reporter requested: “India says the US buys Russian uranium and fertilizers whereas criticising them for getting Russian vitality. Your response to that?”Trump replied: “I don’t know something about it. We must test.”The remark got here after a pointy assertion from Trump on Reality Social. He accused India of taking advantage of the continued Russia-Ukraine struggle by buying and reselling Russian oil.“India will not be 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 large income. They do not care how many individuals in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian Struggle Machine. Due to this, I will probably be considerably elevating the Tariff paid by India to the USA. Thanks in your consideration to this matter!!!” Trump posted.India swiftly rejected Trump’s accusations, calling them “unjustified and unreasonable.” In a powerful assertion, the ministry of exterior affairs defended India’s vitality commerce with Russia as a strategic necessity arising from the worldwide market disruption attributable to the struggle in Ukraine.“India started importing from Russia as a result of conventional provides had been diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the battle. The US at the moment actively inspired such imports by India for strengthening world vitality markets stability. India’s imports are supposed to guarantee predictable and inexpensive vitality prices to the Indian shopper. They’re a necessity compelled by world market state of affairs. Nevertheless, it’s revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in commerce with Russia,” the MEA mentioned in a press release issued late on Monday.The assertion emphasised that India’s imports had been centered on making certain inexpensive and dependable vitality entry for its customers, including that, “In contrast to our case, such commerce will not be even a significant nationwide compulsion.”India additionally identified that Western international locations, together with the US, proceed to import Russian items equivalent to uranium hexafluoride for nuclear crops, palladium for making electrical automobiles, and fertilisers and chemical compounds.The ministry of exterior affairs was responde to Trump’s warnings of penalties and elevated tariffs by criticising what it described because the “double requirements” and hypocrisy of each the US and the European Union.“It’s revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in commerce with Russia (regardless of the Ukraine struggle),” MEA famous.Trump didn’t specify the precise tariff hike however famous that “main actions are being severely thought-about.”“I by no means mentioned a share, however we’ll be doing fairly a little bit of that. We’ll see what occurs over the subsequent pretty quick time frame,” Trump added.Trump had earlier indicated plans to boost the present 25% tariff price on Indian items “very considerably”, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian oil as the explanation.“Now, I’ll say this, India went from the very best tariffs ever. They may give us zero tariffs, and they will allow us to go in. However that is not adequate, due to what they’re doing with oil, not good,” Trump advised CNBC.India’s imports of Russian oil have surged from a mere 0.2% of its whole crude consumption earlier than the Ukraine battle to over 35% in latest months, making Russia its main provider. The ministry of exterior affairs defined that this shift was pushed by conventional Center Japanese suppliers diverting their exports to Europe within the aftermath of the struggle.India has continued to uphold its ties with Russia regardless of mounting Western stress to cut back relations over the Ukraine battle, citing its long-standing relationship with Moscow.