India has clarified that safeguarding national energy security remains its overriding priority after the United States revoked the 25 percent punitive tariffs earlier linked to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude. The rollback followed the conclusion of a broader India–US trade agreement. Addressing the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said decisions on energy sourcing are guided by the needs of India’s 1.4 billion people. “Ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” he stated.
The MEA emphasised that diversification of supplies in line with market conditions and evolving geopolitics continues to shape India’s approach. “Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy,” Jaiswal added. India had ramped up purchases of discounted Russian crude after the Ukraine conflict disrupted global markets, citing affordability and supply stability.
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal criticised Washington for linking tariff relief to India’s oil choices, calling it “plain arm twisting.” He argued that Russian oil purchases were unrelated to bilateral trade and questioned why similar pressure was not applied to China. Strategic analyst Brahma Chellaney warned that the US executive order empowers Washington to monitor India’s imports and could reimpose tariffs if purchases resume “directly or indirectly.” The term, he said, could even target Indian exports of refined fuels derived from Russian crude.
Chellaney estimated that replacing discounted Russian Urals with US crude could add up to $4 billion annually to India’s import bill due to higher prices and freight costs. Market data indicates India’s Russian crude imports fell nearly 70 percent in January to about 4,36,000 barrels per day, according to S&P Global Energy, with refiners increasing purchases from the Middle East, West Africa and the US. The MEA, however, maintained that India’s energy decisions will continue to be driven by national interest rather than external pressure.
