Russian oil never raised in US trade talks, Jaishankar calls out Washington’s double speak

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the current U.S. administration never asked India to stop purchasing Russian oil in private discussions, even as President Donald Trump publicly criticised New Delhi’s energy trade.  

Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, Jaishankar underlined the inconsistency. “After January [when Trump was sworn in], there were no conversations with the current administration saying: Don’t do that [buy Russian oil],” he said.  

Providing context, he recalled that in 2022, American officials had in fact encouraged India’s oil imports from Russia to help stabilise global energy prices. “In 2022, there was deep nervousness because oil prices went up…And there were a set of conversations with different people in the American administration at that time that if India wanted to buy Russian oil, that’s fine by us, because it will stabilise the price of oil,” Jaishankar said.  

Jaishankar identified three issues currently straining ties with Washington: trade and tariffs, Russian oil procurement, and U.S. assertions on the India-Pakistan conflict. He confirmed that trade is “really the major issue” and warned that India will not compromise its domestic interests in negotiations. “We as the government are committed to defend the interests of our farmers and small producers. We are very determined on that. That’s not something we can compromise on,” he said.  

Tensions have risen after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, including a 25% additional duty linked to New Delhi’s Russian crude imports. The first round of levies is already in place, with more set to begin on August 27. “We’ve not had a U.S. President who has conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure that’s not limited to India,” Jaishankar noted.  

The minister rejected U.S. claims that India was profiteering from discounted Russian oil. “It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accusing other people of doing business,” he said. “If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, don’t buy it. Nobody forces you to buy it. But Europe buys, America buys, so you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”  

Jaishankar also pointed out Washington’s double standards. “The same arguments which have been used to target India have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, [and] has not been applied to the largest LNG importer, which is the European Union,” he said.

He added, “When people say we are funding the war or putting money in the coffers of (President Vladimir) Putin… the Russia-European Union trade is bigger than India-Russia trade. So is Europe not putting money into Putin’s coffers?”

Defending India’s position, he stressed, “That’s our right. In my business, we would say that’s what strategic autonomy is about. We are buying [Russian] oil to stabilise the oil market. Yes, it is in our national interest. We have never pretended otherwise, but we also say it is in global interest.”  

On regional concerns, Jaishankar dismissed Trump’s repeated claim that he defused an India-Pakistan conflict in May. “Since the 1970s, for more than 50 years now, there is a national consensus in this country that we do not accept mediation in our relations with Pakistan,” he said.  

He also rejected speculation that tensions with the U.S. would push New Delhi closer to Beijing. “I think it would be a mistaken analysis to try and crunch everything and make it into an integrated response to a very specific situation,” Jaishankar said.