US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that he “doesn’t know anything” about the United States importing fertilizers and chemicals from Russia. This remark came in response to India’s accusation of “double standards” regarding Washington’s criticism of New Delhi’s oil trade with Russia. During a press conference at the White House, when asked about India’s assertion that the US purchases Russian uranium and fertilizers while condemning them for buying Russian energy, Trump replied, “I don’t know anything about it. We will have to check.”
This comment followed a pointed statement by Trump on Truth Social, where he accused India of taking advantage of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war by buying and reselling Russian oil. Trump claimed, “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil; they are then selling much of that oil on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”
In response, India swiftly dismissed Trump’s accusations as “unjustified and unreasonable.” The Ministry of External Affairs defended India’s energy trade with Russia as a necessary response to the global market disruption caused by the Ukraine war. They noted, “India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict. At that time, the United States actively encouraged such imports by India to strengthen global energy market stability. India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer, which are essential due to the global market situation.”
The Ministry emphasized that India’s focus is on providing affordable and reliable energy access, contrasting it with nations criticizing India, which are also engaging in trade with Russia. Furthermore, India highlighted that many Western countries, including the US, continue to import Russian goods such as uranium hexafluoride for nuclear plants and palladium for electric vehicles.
The ministry’s statement also expressed concern over Trump’s threats of penalties, describing them as revealing double standards and hypocrisy from both the United States and the European Union. Trump did not specify the exact tariff increase but indicated that “major actions are being seriously considered.” He mentioned, “I never said a percentage, but we’ll be doing quite a bit of that.” Previous indications suggested he might raise the existing 25% tariff on Indian goods significantly, citing India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil as a rationale.
India’s imports of Russian oil have surged dramatically from just 0.2% of its total crude intake before the Ukraine conflict to over 35% in recent months, making Russia its largest supplier. This shift is explained by the diversion of traditional Middle Eastern suppliers’ exports to Europe post-conflict. Despite increasing Western pressure to reduce ties due to the Ukraine situation, India continues to maintain its longstanding relationship with Russia.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/trade-war-trump-was-asked-about-indias-claim-on-us-importing-russian-uranium-fertilisers-heres-his-response/articleshow/123131430.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-08-06 08:38:00
