The statement by the Ministry of External Affairs issued on Monday (August 4, 2025), defending India’s purchases of Russian oil, is its most explicit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the subsequent retaliatory western sanctions, making it clear that it will take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its interests. The MEA’s outburst followed the new threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, to impose penalty tariffs over and above the massive 25% reciprocal tariffs the U.S. will impose on Indian goods as tariffs kick in worldwide on Thursday (August 7). It also followed E.U. sanctions imposed in July against Rosneft’s partially-owned Vadinar refinery and other Indian companies engaged in reprocessing Russian oil.
On Monday (August 4), Mr. Trump said on his social media that India was selling “massive amounts” of Russian oil on the open market for “big profits” without “caring how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine”, which was why he would raise tariffs “substantially”.
