Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev has questioned former US President Donald Trump’s targeted criticism of India over Russian oil imports, asking why similar pressure isn’t being applied to China, which remains the largest buyer of Russian oil.
Trump recently threatened to “substantially raise” tariffs on India, accusing the country of purchasing large quantities of Russian oil and reselling it for profit. The former US President said on Truth Social, “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then… selling it on the Open Market for big profits… I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.”
In response, Sachdev noted that Trump’s repeated references to India’s energy trade with Russia indicate that the issue is now firmly on his radar. However, he questioned the selective focus.
“If they are pressing down on India, why is he not pressing down on China with the same intensity? We are not hearing anything from him about China. China is also buying Russian oil to the same extent,” Sachdev told ANI.
He pointed out that India is not alone in facing such aggressive trade policies. “This is the Trump policy — be it Japan, Switzerland, or the EU, all are dealing with it. India too will adjust, but if the US hikes tariffs over oil imports, it could have serious consequences,” he said.
Sachdev warned that if a 25% tariff were imposed, India could suffer export losses amounting to $20–30 billion. He also highlighted the unpredictability of Trump’s approach, saying tariffs could be raised to 50% or more at any time.
Supporting this view, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) provided data that underscores China’s role as the leading importer of Russian oil. GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said, “China — not India — is the largest buyer of Russian oil. In 2024, China imported $62.6 billion worth, while India imported $52.7 billion. But Mr. Trump appears unwilling to criticize China, perhaps due to geopolitical calculations, and instead targets India unfairly.”
Meanwhile, India has firmly defended its sovereign right to make independent decisions regarding energy policy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on Monday stating that the country’s oil imports from Russia are based on necessity and aim to provide affordable and predictable energy to Indian consumers.
The MEA described the external criticism as “unjustified and unreasonable” and reiterated that India would take “all necessary steps” to protect its national interests and economic security.
