India slams US 25% tariff as 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable'

MEA says US move to impose 25% tariff on Indian goods over Russian oil imports is "extremely unfortunate" and pledges all necessary steps to safeguard India's national interests

India on Wednesday termed the US decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods “extremely unfortunate,” “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” and said it would take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.

 

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the US has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. Referring to its statement on Monday evening, the MEA reiterated that India’s imports are based on market factors and aimed at ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people.

 

“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,” the MEA said.

 

 

After days of not responding publicly to threats from US President Donald Trump, the MEA had on Monday described the targeting of India and the European Union (EU) for importing Russian crude as unjustified and unreasonable. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.

 

The ministry noted that India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict, adding that at that time, the US actively encouraged such imports to strengthen global energy market stability.

 

Pointing to what it called double standards by the US and EU, the MEA cited EU trade figures, noting that in 2024 the EU’s bilateral trade in goods with Russia was €67.5 billion, with trade in services estimated at €17.2 billion in 2023 — significantly higher than India’s total trade with Russia in the same period. European imports of LNG from Russia in 2024 reached a record 16.5 million tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022. 

 

It added that Europe’s trade with Russia includes not only energy but also fertilisers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel, and machinery and transport equipment. The US, it said, continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its electric vehicle industry, fertilisers, and chemicals.

 

The MEA argued that India’s imports are intended to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers and are a necessity driven by the global market situation. “However, it is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” it said.