In a rare moment of political unity, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the main opposition party jointly denounced on Tuesday the repeated criticism from the United States and the European Union regarding India’s purchases of Russian oil, calling it “unfair and hypocritical.”
New Delhi’s anger came in response to new tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Monday vowed to increase import duties on Indian products if the country continued sourcing energy from Moscow.
This escalation could further strain an already tense trade relationship between India and the United States.
Western trade with Moscow thrives
In a statement issued late Monday, India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly rejected the accusations and pointed to glaring inconsistencies in the West’s stance.
“The countries that criticize India for buying Russian oil are themselves actively trading with Russia,” the statement said.
According to figures cited by Indian diplomats, the European Union conducted €67.5 billion (approximately $78.02 billion) in trade with Russia in 2024, including the import of 16.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — a record level despite sanctions.
As for the United States, New Delhi claims Washington continues to import uranium hexafluoride — a critical material for its nuclear sector — along with palladium, fertilizers, and various Russian chemicals.
While the statement did not disclose the sources of these figures, it emphasized one key message: “The discriminatory treatment India is facing is unacceptable.”
A geopolitical tug-of-war amid the Ukraine war
Since the Russian offensive on Ukraine began in February 2022, the U.S. and the EU have imposed tough sanctions aimed at curbing Russia’s energy revenues. However, India has taken advantage of discounted prices to ramp up its imports of Russian oil, becoming one of Moscow’s top buyers.
New Delhi defends this strategy as pragmatic, necessary to ensure the country’s energy security — a stance that has drawn repeated criticism from Western capitals, particularly Washington.
For India, however, this is a clear case of double standards. The quiet yet continuous economic ties between some European countries and Russia — despite public rhetoric — feed a growing sense of geopolitical injustice.
Indian political unity in the face of criticism
In a rare show of unity, India’s two main political parties — the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Indian National Congress — came together to condemn Donald Trump’s remarks. This alignment highlights how strategic the energy issue is for India, transcending partisan divides.
“It is hypocritical to pressure us while others quietly continue business with Moscow,” said a Congress official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
As global geopolitical dynamics shift in the wake of the Ukraine conflict, India is asserting its commercial sovereignty and openly criticizing what it views as Western hypocrisy.
This new diplomatic standoff could impact India’s economic relations with its strategic partners, at a time when global protectionism is on the rise.
What's happening in Tunisia?
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for updates.
