Online Desk : India has reaffirmed its commitment to buying oil from Russia, brushing aside threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs over the imports.

Responding to Trump’s warning of a 25% tariff on Indian goods — along with an additional import tax over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude — India’s foreign ministry emphasized the strength of its long-standing ties with Moscow.

“Our relationship with Russia is steady and time-tested,” said ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a press briefing on Friday. “It should not be seen through the prism of a third country.”

Jaiswal added that India’s approach to securing its energy needs is based on global supply conditions and market availability, not political pressure.

President Trump’s threat comes amid growing U.S. frustration with Russia over its refusal to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, prompting the White House to consider expanding economic sanctions.

India significantly ramped up its oil imports from Russia after the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, capitalizing on discounted rates offered as Western nations moved to isolate Moscow. From importing just 68,000 barrels per day in January 2022, India’s purchases peaked at 2.15 million barrels daily by May 2023.

At one point, Russian oil accounted for nearly 40% of India’s total crude imports, according to energy data firm Kpler. India consumes about 5.5 million barrels of oil per day, meeting roughly 88% of that demand through imports.

Traditionally reliant on Middle Eastern suppliers, India’s energy mix has shifted significantly in recent years — a change driven by both economics and geopolitics. India is currently the world’s third-largest crude importer, after China and the United States.