'Still doesn't remove 25% tariffs': Kanwal Sibal as Trump repeats claims of New Delhi cutting Russian oil imports
His take came after Trump said India has acted responsibly on the issue of importing Russian energy, stating that the country has “been very good on that front.”
- Oct 30, 2025,
- Updated Oct 30, 2025 2:45 PM IST
Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal said on Thursday that while US President Donald Trump keeps on taking the credit for India's reduced Russian oil purchases, the 25 per cent penalty tariffs continue to be in place. His take came after Trump said India has acted responsibly on the issue of importing Russian energy, stating that the country has “been very good on that front.”
Donald Trump's remarks follow his earlier claims that New Delhi has significantly curtailed its purchases of Russian oil amid ongoing global scrutiny of Moscow’s exports. Sibal further said that Trump did not discuss China's oil purchases with Xi Jinping, even when China buys way more from Russia than India and also gets gas supplied via pipelines.
"Trump keeps saying that India will not buy Russian oil henceforth and implicitly claims credit for it, but still doesn't remove the 25% penalty tariffs. Says he didn't discuss oil purchases from Russia with Xi, even when China buys more Russian oil than India and gets supplied by pipelines too," Sibal, who has also served as India's Ambassador to Russia, said on X.
He added that this is a reason good enough for India to find ways to keep buying Russian oil and not buy more US oil in haste. "Good reason for India to find ways to keep buying Russian oil and not be in a hurry to buy more US oil. We are playing Trump’s one- sided game. Some pushback is needed to retain our margin of manoeuvre."
What exactly did Trump say?
Speaking during his press gaggle aboard Air Force One, Trump also said that the US cannot do much about China's purchase of Russian oil, noting "it takes care of a big part of China."
"There's not a lot more we can do. The oil he's [Xi Jinping] been buying from Russia for a long time. It takes care of a big part of China, and I can say India's been very good on that front, but we didn't really discuss the oil. We discussed working together to see if we could get that war finished. It doesn't affect China, it doesn't affect us, but I'd like to see it done," Trump said after his meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea.
Trump’s comments come as Western nations continue to pressure countries to scale back economic engagement with Russia following the Ukraine conflict. India has maintained that its energy decisions are guided by national interests and market conditions.
Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal said on Thursday that while US President Donald Trump keeps on taking the credit for India's reduced Russian oil purchases, the 25 per cent penalty tariffs continue to be in place. His take came after Trump said India has acted responsibly on the issue of importing Russian energy, stating that the country has “been very good on that front.”
Donald Trump's remarks follow his earlier claims that New Delhi has significantly curtailed its purchases of Russian oil amid ongoing global scrutiny of Moscow’s exports. Sibal further said that Trump did not discuss China's oil purchases with Xi Jinping, even when China buys way more from Russia than India and also gets gas supplied via pipelines.
"Trump keeps saying that India will not buy Russian oil henceforth and implicitly claims credit for it, but still doesn't remove the 25% penalty tariffs. Says he didn't discuss oil purchases from Russia with Xi, even when China buys more Russian oil than India and gets supplied by pipelines too," Sibal, who has also served as India's Ambassador to Russia, said on X.
He added that this is a reason good enough for India to find ways to keep buying Russian oil and not buy more US oil in haste. "Good reason for India to find ways to keep buying Russian oil and not be in a hurry to buy more US oil. We are playing Trump’s one- sided game. Some pushback is needed to retain our margin of manoeuvre."
What exactly did Trump say?
Speaking during his press gaggle aboard Air Force One, Trump also said that the US cannot do much about China's purchase of Russian oil, noting "it takes care of a big part of China."
"There's not a lot more we can do. The oil he's [Xi Jinping] been buying from Russia for a long time. It takes care of a big part of China, and I can say India's been very good on that front, but we didn't really discuss the oil. We discussed working together to see if we could get that war finished. It doesn't affect China, it doesn't affect us, but I'd like to see it done," Trump said after his meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea.
Trump’s comments come as Western nations continue to pressure countries to scale back economic engagement with Russia following the Ukraine conflict. India has maintained that its energy decisions are guided by national interests and market conditions.