New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday strongly criticized the United States for imposing what he described as “unjustified and unreasonable” tariffs on Indian goods, following Washington’s decision to raise duties to over 50 per cent as a penalty for India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Speaking at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, Jaishankar underlined that India would not compromise on protecting its farmers and small producers. He stressed that safeguarding their interests remained the government’s foremost priority.
“Our red lines are clear—defending the interests of our farmers and small producers. That is non-negotiable,” Jaishankar asserted, dismissing suggestions that India had failed in negotiations.
The minister rejected the notion that the dispute was solely about oil imports. He pointed out that larger energy importers like China and European nations had not faced similar scrutiny for buying Russian resources.
“The arguments used to target India are not applied to China, the largest oil importer, or Europe, the biggest LNG importer,” he said, highlighting what he called a double standard in Western criticism.
Jaishankar further argued that Europe’s trade with Russia was significantly larger than India’s, raising questions over why New Delhi was being singled out. “If the concern is about energy funding the war, then European trade with Russia far exceeds India’s. The contradictions are obvious,” he said.
Emphasizing India’s independent decision-making, Jaishankar maintained that strategic autonomy was central to New Delhi’s foreign policy. “The decisions we make in our national interest are our right. That is what strategic autonomy is all about,” he said.
On strained ties with Washington, Jaishankar acknowledged that dialogue remained open despite differences. “We are two major countries. The lines are not cut, conversations are ongoing, and we will see how it develops,” he noted.
Asked about the newly appointed US ambassador to India, Jaishankar refrained from commenting. “As Foreign Minister, I don’t comment on ambassadorial appointments of other countries,” he said.
The remarks came just days after Jaishankar’s visit to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin, Deputy First PM Denis Manturov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He also co-chaired the 26th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit included wide-ranging discussions on terrorism, the Ukraine conflict, and developments in West Asia and Afghanistan. Jaishankar also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to President Putin and reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
