‘If Indian goods cannot go to US market, they can head to Russia’, Russia slams Trump’s ‘unjustified’ tariffs
- In Reports
- 07:53 PM, Aug 20, 2025
- Myind Staff
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in New Delhi before the year ends, according to a Russian embassy official on Wednesday. The exact dates are still being finalised. This announcement comes as Russia seeks to strengthen its trade relationship with India by improving payment systems and removing barriers to trade.
The Russian embassy in India slams US President Donald Trump's decision to impose 25% additional tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian crude oil. As per a Reuters report, the Russian embassy said, "If Indian goods cannot go to US market, they can head to Russia". The embassy also described US sanctions on India as 'double standards', further saying that the pressure on India to stop buying Russian crude oil was 'unjustified'.
The Russian embassy also said, "Discount on Russian crude oil is about 5% for India. India understands there is no chance to change supplies, profit very high for India." "There is no alternative to Russian crude oil as it is very competitive," it added, emphasising that India 'matters very much' for Russia. These remarks come at a time when India's relations with the United States have worsened, following New Delhi's tough position on opening its dairy and agricultural sectors as part of a trade deal.
Taking a strong stance on global measures that affect trade, the Russian embassy called the sanctions an example of double standards and said they ignored national interests. Speaking about trade ties, the embassy official highlighted Russia's determination to remove barriers that could affect commerce between the two countries. This includes improving procedures and building more effective systems for business transactions.
The embassy representative showed confidence in the bilateral relationship, pointing out that both countries have always found ways to work together effectively even when facing difficulties. The upcoming meeting between Putin and Modi is expected to strengthen the partnership further. Both leaders have shared close diplomatic ties for years, regularly holding meetings to discuss cooperation in different sectors such as trade, defence, and technology.
The 25% additional tariff imposed by Trump on India's purchase of Russian crude oil has added to the tensions. The United States sees India's oil trade with Russia as a way of indirectly financing the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to a Reuters report, the Russian embassy stressed its commitment to improving payment mechanisms with India to make trade operations smoother. This step holds importance as both countries try to preserve their strong economic partnership despite global challenges.
Indian state-run refiners Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have restarted buying Russian oil for delivery in September and October after bigger discounts became available, two company officials aware of the matter told Reuters. The companies had earlier suspended purchases in July when discounts had reduced.
Russian Urals crude discounts have widened to nearly 3 dollars per barrel, making it more profitable for Indian refiners, while Chinese purchases have also risen, the officials said. IOC has expanded its Russian crude portfolio by including Varandey and Siberian Light grades along with Urals.
Indian companies continue their policy of not discussing crude import details. During an analyst meeting on Monday, IOC, the country’s largest refiner, confirmed it will keep buying Russian oil based on economic factors.
As the third-largest petroleum importer in the world, India has sharply increased its imports of Russian oil since the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, mainly because of the significant price cuts available on Russian crude.
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