In the face of growing U.S. criticism over India’s continued imports of cheap Russian oil, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reaffirmed the nation’s long-standing and strategic cooperation with Russia on August 1, 2025, calling it “steady and time-tested.”
During the weekly media conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that India’s bilateral ties are based entirely on their own inherent merits and shouldn’t be viewed through the prism of other nations or geopolitical pressures.
Prominent U.S. officials, such as former President Donald Trump and Senator Marco Rubio, recently criticized India for continuing to purchase Russian energy resources in spite of Western sanctions placed on Russia after the conflict in Ukraine. This statement was a direct response to their remarks.
Following Trump’s announcement of a 25% retaliatory tariff on Indian goods that would take effect on August 8, the United States’ criticism intensified. The punitive trade move was justified by India’s continued military procurements and Russian oil imports.
Senator Rubio claimed that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine may be indirectly funded by India’s imports of Russian oil, calling them a “point of irritation” in U.S.-India relations. Jaiswal adamantly insisted that market conditions and the interests of the country guide India’s energy procurement decisions in this tense diplomatic environment. He also emphasized that the Indian government was unaware of any recent actions taken by Indian oil companies to stop or pause imports from Russia.
The MEA’s unambiguous message aimed to distinguish India’s autonomous foreign policy and economic choices from outside influences, claiming that India’s strategic alliances are guided by pragmatic factors. Jaiswal also took the time to emphasize how strong and resilient India’s relationship with the US has remained throughout the years.
He emphasized that the partnership between the United States and India is strong enough to endure political upheavals and external difficulties because it is based on strong people-to-people ties, global strategic interests, and shared democratic ideals.
He asserts that notwithstanding present disputes, India is still completely dedicated to pursuing the significant agenda that the two countries have jointly agreed upon and is optimistic that the bilateral relationship would continue on a constructive trajectory.
Simultaneously, earlier this week, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament that the government was closely assessing how the recently imposed U.S. tariffs would affect Indian exports and that all necessary steps would be taken to protect India’s national interests.
This reaction exemplifies India’s strategic links with Russia while also fostering and prioritizing its all-encompassing global alliance with the United States, demonstrating its balanced approach to handling its complex geopolitical relationships.
The MEA’s position demonstrates India’s dedication to an independent foreign policy, one that is motivated by pragmatic assessment and national interest rather than by coercion from outside sources or one-sided alliances. It represents India’s overarching diplomatic goal of upholding a variety of multilateral alliances while navigating the intricacies of world politics, particularly during a time when major nations are embroiled in geopolitical conflict.
