Russian officials have slammed the U.S. for imposing a 50% tariff on Indian goods, calling the move “unjustified” as New Delhi doubles down on its strategic energy ties with Moscow.
August 20, 2025: Russia has underscored the resilience of its oil trade with India, with senior officials asserting that external pressure, including newly imposed U.S. tariffs, will only deepen their bilateral cooperation. The comments from Moscow come as Washington’s additional 25% tariff on Indian exports—a penalty for purchasing Russian crude—is set to take effect this week.
“More pressure means more cooperation,” said Evgeny Griva, Deputy Trade Representative of Russia in India, during a press conference. He highlighted that Moscow has already established a “very special mechanism” to ensure the smooth supply of crude oil to India, a market that now accounts for approximately 40% of Russia’s total energy exports.
The new tariffs, which effectively bring the total duty on Indian goods to 50%, were officially confirmed by the White House as a way to apply “secondary pressure” on Moscow to end the conflict in Ukraine.
In a strong rebuttal, Russian officials pushed back against the move, with Roman Babushkin, Deputy Chief of the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, calling the sanctions a form of “unlawful competition.” He added that Russian markets would remain open to Indian exporters who face hurdles abroad. “Don’t worry about that. This pressure is unjustified,” he said.
Beyond energy, the trade relationship between the two nations has expanded significantly, with India steadily increasing its exports of machine tools, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals to Russia. According to official data, bilateral trade between the two nations reached a record high of $68.7 billion in the last fiscal year, a nearly sevenfold increase.
Both nations are also working to strengthen their trade framework, with a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled in New Delhi. The discussions are expected to focus on improving payment systems and removing trade barriers.
The Indian government has also taken a firm stance, stating that its oil imports from Russia are based on market factors and are critical to ensuring the energy security of its 1.4 billion people.