“Perplexed at Logic”: Jaishankar Hits Back at US Tariffs

• Jaishankar calls US tariff logic “perplexing” during Moscow visit.
• India slapped with 50% duties over Russian oil imports.
• US spares China, EU—both larger buyers of Russian energy.
• India insists purchases are sovereign, market-driven decisions.

GG News Bureau
Moscow, 21st Aug: External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, during a bilateral meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, said India is “perplexed” by Washington’s rationale for penalising New Delhi over its oil imports from Russia.

Jaishankar pointed out that the United States itself had long urged countries to stabilise global energy markets—including through Russian oil purchases. “Americans have said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilise the world energy market, including buying oil from Russia,” he observed.

The comments come against the backdrop of the US slapping 25% reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25% levy on Indian imports of Russian oil, effectively raising duties to 50%. The Trump administration has accused New Delhi of profiteering by reselling Russian oil, while sparing China and the European Union—both far larger importers of Russian energy—from similar tariffs.

“We are not the country which has had the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022; I think there are some countries to the South,” Jaishankar remarked, in a pointed reference to China. He further stressed that India is not the biggest buyer of Russian oil, noting that China leads crude imports and the EU remains the largest LNG purchaser.

Highlighting India’s longstanding strategic ties with Moscow, Jaishankar said India and Russia have been “the steadiest of the major relationships” since World War II. He underlined the importance of “sustaining energy cooperation through trade and investments” and reaffirmed that defence and military-technical cooperation between the two countries “remains robust.”

“Russia supports India’s Make in India goals, including joint production and technology transfer,” he added, stressing that India’s energy choices are guided by sovereign interests, market availability, and national needs.