US President Donald Trump recently announced 25 percent tariffs on Indian imports, with additional unspecified penalties threatened if New Delhi does not scale back its trade with Russia. The announcement came just ahead of Trump’s self-imposed August 1 deadline, despite ongoing talks aimed at reaching a deal.
Trump justified the move by targeting India’s defense and energy purchases from Russia. “India is Russia’s largest buyer of energy, along with China,” he said, referencing Indian acquisitions of oil and military hardware from Moscow.
India Responds, Points to US Imports From Russia
India has called Trump’s decision as “unjustified and unreasonable,” and responded by highlighting Washington’s own continued imports from Russia.
Also Read: Nikki Haley Urges Trump Administration to Not ‘Burn’ Ties With ‘Strong Ally’ India Over Russian Oil
“Where the US is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
India reiterated its commitment to protecting national interests and economic security amid growing external pressure over its Russia ties.
India Accuses US, EU of Hypocrisy Over Russian Trade
Three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both the United States and the European Union continue to import billions of euros’ worth of Russian commodities, including liquefied natural gas and enriched uranium.
India this week lashed out at what it called Western double standards, after facing renewed threats from Trump over its increasing imports of Russian crude oil.
Commercial ties with Russia: US, EU, and India
Despite sanctions, Europe still imports Russian goods
Since the Ukraine war began, EU-Russia trade has dropped significantly due to sanctions and restrictions. Imports from Russia fell by 86 percent between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2025, according to Eurostat data.
In Q1 2025, the EU imported goods worth 8.74 billion euros ($10.11 billion) from Russia, down from 30.58 billion euros in the same period in 2021. Yet imports of several key commodities persist:
Oil: Once Russia was the EU’s largest petroleum supplier. Following the EU’s maritime crude oil ban, Russian oil’s share dropped from 28.74 percent in 2021 to 2.01 percent in 2025. Total oil imports declined to 1.48 billion euros from 14.06 billion euros.
Natural Gas: Russia’s share in EU gas imports fell to 17 percent in early 2025, down from 48 percent in Q1 2021.
Iron and Steel: Russia accounted for 7.71 percent of EU non-member iron and steel imports in Q1 2025, down from 18.28 percent four years ago.
Fertilizers: Despite a May 2025 European Parliament vote to impose high tariffs, Russia remained the EU’s top fertilizer exporter. Its share fell slightly from 28.15 percent to 25.62 percent.
India’s trade with Russia surges
In contrast, India’s imports from Russia have surged in recent years. According to the Indian Commerce Ministry, the country imported $65.7 billion worth of goods from Russia in 2024, up from $8.25 billion in 2021.
Oil: Crude oil imports skyrocketed to $52.2 billion in 2024, compared to just $2.31 billion in 2021.
Coal: Imports of coal and coal products from Russia rose to $3.5 billion from $1.12 billion.
Fertilizers: India imported $1.67 billion worth of Russian fertilizers in 2024, up from $483 million three years earlier.
US Imports From Russia
Though the US has sharply cut down on Russian imports, trade has not ceased. Based on data from the US Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, US imports from Russia dropped to $2.5 billion in the first half of 2025, compared to $14.14 billion during the same period four years earlier. Total imports since January 2022 amount to $24.51 billion.
Fertilizers: The US imported $1.27 billion worth of fertilizers from Russia in 2024, up slightly from $1.14 billion in 2021.
Uranium and Plutonium: Imports of enriched uranium and plutonium stood at $624 million in 2024, a small decline from $646 million in 2021.
Palladium: Russian palladium exports to the US reached $878 million in 2024, down from $1.59 billion in 2021.
