US lawmakers question uneven policy
The Democratic leadership of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump for what they perceive to be an uneven and unfair approach towards India’s energy commerce with Russia. Legislators say that while China continues importing much larger quantities of Russian crude, Trump has opted to sanction India with new tariffs instead.
In a statement on X, the Committee described Trump’s actions as “sabotaging” Washington’s relationship with New Delhi without touching Beijing. “Instead of sanctioning China or others buying more Russian oil, Trump’s targeting India with tariffs, hurting Americans & sabotaging the US-India relationship in the process. It’s almost like it’s not even about Ukraine at all,” the post stated.
Tariffs Targeting India
Earlier this week, Trump’s administration announced a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, along with another 25 percent specifically tied to New Delhi’s Russian oil imports. The move comes alongside growing criticism from the White House accusing India of “funding” Moscow’s war machine.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro went so far as to describe the Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war,” claiming the “road to peace runs partly through New Delhi” since India continues to purchase discounted Russian crude.
As per a New York Times report, this selective punishment of India has left policymakers bewildered. The article noted that if the administration were to have slapped secondary sanctions on all the countries purchasing Russian energy, the policy would have been seen as coherent. China, however, the biggest importer of Russian oil, has had no similar penalty.
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India Pushes Back
India has strongly disapproved of Trump’s tariff actions, terming them “unjustified and unreasonable.” New Delhi officials emphasized that the country, as with any large economy, will take action to protect its national interests and economic security.
New Delhi has always maintained that its energy procurements from Russia are determined by pragmatic considerations of cost and security of supply. For India, having access to cheaper crude is essential in order to maintain domestic prices at reasonable levels and shield its burgeoning economy.
With Washington’s new tariffs, tensions seem to be escalating in a relationship that both nations have long promoted as strategic. While America is adamant that India needs to cut its dependence on Moscow, New Delhi appears bent on forging an independent course on energy security.
