On August 22, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pushed back against the U.S. imposition of a steep 50% tariff on Indian oil imports—comprising a 25% reciprocal duty and an additional 25% penalty tied to purchases of Russian energy. He expressed confusion, noting that it was actually the Biden administration that had encouraged India to “do everything to stabilise the world energy market, including buying oil from Russia”—a move aimed at global energy stability.
Jaishankar also pointed out that India wasn’t the biggest buyer of Russian oil or LNG. He highlighted that China and the European Union hold those positions, implying that India was being unfairly targeted.
This latest salvo from Jaishankar comes amid broader tensions in U.S.–India trade and diplomatic relations, marking the escalation of a crisis in August 2025 over tariffs linked to energy sourcing.
