India points finger at China, Turkey after Trump slaps additional 25pc tariff due to Russian oil imports

Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on India, the Ministry of External affairs in its statement pointed out that India was being unfairly targeted for oil imports from Russia while countries like China and Turkey continued to do the same.

In its statement the MEA said, “The United States has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India.”

“It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest. We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests,” the MEA added.

The MEA’s clear indication is towards countries like China and Turkey that continue to source large percentage of crude oil or oil products from Russia.

According to data by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air for June 2025, China has bought 47 per cent of Russia’s crude exports, followed by India (38 per cent), the EU (6 per cent), and Turkiye (6 per cent). Turkiye is the largest buyer of oil products and has purchased 26 per cent of Russia’s oil product exports, followed by China (13 per cent) and Brazil (12 per cent).

The EU was the largest buyer LNG from Russia purchasing 51 per cent of LNG exports from the country, followed by China (21 per cent) and Japan (18 per cent).

The EU was also the largest buyer of Russia’s pipeline gas, purchasing 37 per cent of it, followed by China (30 per cent) and Turkiye (27 per cent).

Neither China nor Turkey are facing additional US tariffs specifically tied to Russian Oil or Oil Product imports.

The data shows that India is justified in pushing its case of being unfairly targeted by the US Government in its latest tariff order.

On Wednesday, the US Government slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.

According to the order issued by the White House, Trump cited matters of national security and foreign policy concerns, as well as other relevant trade laws, for the increase, claiming that India’s imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.

After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods will be 50 per cent. While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days and will be imposed on all Indian goods imported into the US, except for goods already in transit or those meeting specific exemptions.

The Executive Order also allows for modifications based on changing circumstances, including potential retaliation by other countries or steps taken by Russia or India to address the national emergency.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump, hours after he mentioned raising tariffs on India, said he would increase the tariff charged on imports from India from the current rate of 25 per cent “very substantially” over the next 24 hours due to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil, Reuters reported.

“They’re fuelling the war machine, and if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy,” Trump told CNBC in an interview, as cited by Reuters. According to the report, he added that the main sticking point with India was that its tariffs were too high but did not provide a new tariff rate.

On Monday, Trump had announced that the United States will “substantially raise” the tariff on India for buying large amounts of Russian oil. He claimed that much of this oil is being sold in the open market for huge profits.

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it 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!!!”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the United States for imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil, terming it “economic blackmail” to bully New Delhi into an unfair trade deal.

He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Trump’s 50 per cent tariff is economic blackmail - an attempt to bully India into an unfair trade deal. PM Modi better not let his weakness override the interests of the Indian people,” the Congress leader posted on X.

India has termed the United States’ move to impose additional tariffs on India over its oil imports from Russia as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,”

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India.

According to the order issued by the White House, Trump cited matters of national security and foreign policy concerns, as well as other relevant trade laws, for the increase, claiming that India’s imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.

After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods will be 50 per cent. While the initial duty becomes effective on 7 August, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days and will be imposed on all Indian goods imported into the US, except for goods already in transit or those meeting specific exemptions.

The Executive Order also allows for modifications based on changing circumstances, including potential retaliation by other countries or steps taken by Russia or India to address the national emergency.”

Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 per cent,” the order stated.

“This rate of duty shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 21 days after the date of this order, except for goods that (1) were loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit prior to entry into the United States before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 21 days after the date of this order,” the order added.

Slamming the United States for “double standard” for imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said US President Donald Trump’s move will make “our goods unaffordable to a lot of people in America.”

He pointed out that while China imports various materials, including more Russian oil than India, the country has received a “90-day break” from the US tariffs.

“Uranium, Palladium, there are various things they (US) are importing from Russia. There is, unfortunately, a certain double standard involved. They have given the Chinese a 90-day break, but the Chinese are importing far more Russian oil than we are. So clearly this has not been a particularly friendly gesture from a country we thought was well disposed towards us, an administration that we thought was well disposed,” Tharoor told reporters.

Suggesting that tariffs also might signal how the friendly relations between India and the US have been affected, the Congress leader mentioned the possibility of “pressures within India” for imposing reciprocal tariffs on American exports to India.

“Very clearly, we have to act accordingly, and we will have to learn our lessons from this experience. I think there is certainly a likelihood that there will be some pressure within India now to impose comparable reciprocal tariffs on American exports to India. So I think we’re going to have to really start looking at other trading partners much more in these circumstances,” Tharoor mentioned.

“I don’t think that’s particularly good news for us and that takes our total tariffs to 50 per cent then that’s going to make our goods unaffordable to a lot of people in America and in particularly when you’re looking at these percentages you have to compare them with the tariffs being levied on some of our competitors,” Tharoor told ANI.

Comparing the tariffs on other countries like Pakistan (19 pc), Bangladesh (20 pc), Philippines (19 pc), Indonesia (19), or even Vietnam (20 pc), the Congress leader said that this will effect Indian goods being bought in US, as people will look for the cheapest option.

“This means we need to very seriously diversify to other countries and other markets that may be interested in what we have to offer. We now have an FTA with the UK. We are talking to the EU. There are many countries in which hopefully we would be able to, but in the short term, it is definitely a blow,” Tharoor told ANI.