'Inexcusable scapegoating': Kanwal Sibal slams Trump's defence of secondary sanctions against India

Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal on Thursday condemned US President Donald Trump after the latter defended his decision to slap secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil. Calling the defence as 'inexcusable scapegoating of India', Sibal said that Trump has a typical bullying mindset. 

Sibal added that while Trump mentioned China as a big purchaser of Russian oil, he avoided any talk of secondary sanctions on China. 

"Inexcusable scapegoating of India. Question asked is why no action has been taken by him against Russia. His defence is that he has imposed secondary sanctions on India. He thinks punishing India instead of directly sanctioning Russia is defensible politics. He also mentions China as a big purchaser of Russian oil. But keeps quiet about any secondary sanction on China. A typical bullying mindset," the former Foreign Secretary of India wrote on X. 

On Wednesday, Trump said that America has implemented secondary sanctions on India for its purchases of Russian oil. He indicated the potential for further measures, which he referred to as "phase two yet or phase three."

While participating in a bilateral meeting with Poland's President Karol Nawrocki, the POTUS appeared irritated when a Polish reporter questioned him about tariffs against India. 

"How do you know there's no action? Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside of China, they're almost equal, would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I haven't done phase two yet or phase three. But when you say there's no action, I think you ought to get yourself a new job,” Trump shot back at the Polish reporter.

He justified the sanctions as a significant financial blow to Russia, commenting, "If India buys, India's got big problems, and that's what happens." The US has imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff on India, along with an additional 25% levy for its acquisition of Russian oil, resulting in a total of 50% duties effective from August 27. 

India's government has voiced strong opposition to the tariffs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed the nation's resilience, noting that "pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it." New Delhi described the sanctions as "unjustified and unreasonable," emphasising its commitment to safeguard its national interests.