Washington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed he had no knowledge that the United States imports chemicals and fertilizers from Russia, amid growing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over trade with Moscow.
Responding to a question during a White House press conference, Trump said, “I don’t know anything about it. We will have to check,” when asked about ongoing US imports of Russian fertilizers and chemicals. His response comes shortly after India accused the United States of continuing such imports, even while criticizing New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil.
President Trump’s denial followed his statement a day earlier on social media platform Truth Social, where he announced plans to “substantially raise” tariffs on India in response to its oil trade with Russia.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA,” Trump posted.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly rejected the accusation, calling it “unjustified and unreasonable.” The MEA issued a detailed statement defending India’s oil imports from Russia, citing global market pressures and the need to maintain affordable energy for its citizens.
“India began importing from Russia because traditional suppliers diverted shipments to Europe after the Ukraine conflict. At the time, the US actively encouraged India to import Russian oil to stabilize global energy markets,” the MEA said.
The ministry pointed out that the US itself continues to trade with Russia, importing uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for electric vehicles, fertilizers, and chemicals. It also highlighted that the EU’s trade with Russia in 2024 exceeded €67.5 billion, including over 16.5 million tonnes of LNG — far more than India’s trade volume with Russia.
“The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable. Like any major economy, India will take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” the statement emphasized.
