• The statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) explained that India began buying discounted Russian oil after the Ukraine conflict disrupted global energy flows. As traditional suppliers shifted their focus to meet Europe’s demand, India turned to Russia to secure its energy needs.

• The ministry highlighted that at the time the US in fact had “encouraged such imports”, viewing them as a means to “strengthening global energy markets stability”.

• MEA also pointed out that the countries criticising India are themselves engaged in trade with Russia. However, unlike India, where such trade is a critical national necessity, their dealings lack the same justification and are “not even a vital national compulsion”.

• The ministry’s statement went on to explain that India’s energy imports from Russia are essential to ensuring affordable and predictable fuel prices for Indian consumers. They are a necessity compelled by the global market situation.

• Highlighting the disparity in global trade practices, the ministry pointed out that the European Union maintained significant economic ties with Russia. In 2024, EU-Russia bilateral trade in goods reached Euro 67.5 billion, while trade in services was estimated at Euro 17.2 billion in 2023, underscoring the ongoing commercial engagement despite public criticism directed at India.

• The ministry also drew comparisons between India’s and Europe’s trade with Russia, noting that the EU’s commercial engagement was significantly higher than India’s total trade with Russia during the same period or afterward. It highlighted that European imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia hit a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024, surpassing the previous high of 15.21 million tonnes recorded in 2022.

• India also highlighted that Europe’s trade with Russia extends well beyond energy, encompassing a wide range of sectors. This includes fertilizers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel, as well as machinery and transport equipment.

• Furthermore, the ministry drew attention to US imports from Russia and said Washington continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium crucial to the electric vehicle sector, as well as fertilisers and various chemicals from Russia.

• Concluding its statement, the ministry asserted that the criticism directed at India is both unjustified and unreasonable. It said that, like any major economy, India is fully entitled to take all necessary steps to protect its national interests and ensure its economic security.

• The developments come after US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India from August 1, 2025 onwards. The tariff, as per Trump, comes in response to India’s rates for the US which are the “highest in the world”. Trump said that the tariff comes as a penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil and its participation in the BRICS bloc, which Trump deems as “anti-American.”