(MENAFN) Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has criticized the United States for imposing a 25% tariff on India’s imports of Russian oil, calling the move discriminatory and unjust. Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave on Sunday, Jaishankar expressed frustration with Washington’s trade stance, stating that New Delhi has "issues" with the US over such measures and emphasized the need for both nations to find a shared “landing ground.”

“In addition, there is a second tariff which we have publicly said we regard as very unfair, which has picked on us for sourcing energy from Russia when there are other countries that have done so, including countries that right now have a far more antagonistic relationship with Russia than we do,” Jaishankar said during the event.

The tariffs, which came into effect in August, were part of a broader trade dispute following the collapse of talks for a bilateral trade agreement between the two countries. India, however, has remained firm in its decision not to cut back on Russian crude imports. Since 2022, Russia has become India's top oil supplier, with recent data from an energy analytics firm showing Russian oil making up around 1.6 million barrels per day—or 34%—of India's total imports as of September.
Jaishankar emphasized that India’s trade priorities now lie in forging free trade agreements with partners that offer stable, predictable economies and do not compete directly with Indian interests. He noted that India is “pleased with the (FTA) with the UK” and is “serious about the EU FTA,” while also indicating India is “striving for an understanding with the US.”

Western powers, including top US and EU officials, have repeatedly urged India to halt purchases of Russian oil, claiming that such trade supports Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. But India has pushed back against the pressure, defending its energy choices on the basis of national interest and market access.

Jaishankar previously criticized what he called the West’s “double standards” at a G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York last month. There, he highlighted what he saw as inconsistent Western attitudes toward the energy, food, and fertilizer needs of the Global South.

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