Sinking US-India ties, letting China off: Geostrategist blasts Trump's double standard over Russian oil

Strategic analyst Dr Brahma Chellaney on Tuesday piercingly took down US President Donald Trump after he accused India of profiting from Russian oil and ignoring the Ukraine war.

Citing The New York Times' take on Trump, Chellaney wrote that the POTUS is known for "going after easier targets". He claimed that Trump was intent on sinking the US-India relationship by imposing harsher tariffs on India compared to China, the European Union, and Turkey. 

"Seemingly intent on sinking the US-India relationship, he has vowed to impose harsher tariffs over India's Russian energy purchases, while letting much larger importers like China and the EU — and other significant buyers like Turkey — off the hook," Chellaney wrote in a post on X. 

In a recent development, US President Donald Trump criticised India's involvement in the Russian oil trade, accusing it of profiting from the situation. "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," Trump stated on Truth Social.

Following these accusations, Trump announced his decision to significantly increase tariffs on Indian imports to the United States. This move has been met with criticism and concern from both India and Russia, who have dismissed the allegations and condemned the proposed tariffs.

India has rejected Trump's allegations, labelling them as "unjustified and unreasonable." The Indian government has stated its intention to take necessary measures to protect its national interests and economic security against the proposed tariffs.

Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded to Trump's threats by asserting that "America is unable to accept the erosion of its dominance and hence, continues to pursue a neocolonial agenda, employing politically motivated economic pressure against those who choose an independent course on the international stage."

Zakharova further expressed Russia's commitment to working with global partners to resist sanctions and promote a more just international order. She emphasised that "We are supported by a vast number of partners, like-minded states, and allies, particularly among the countries of the Global South and, above all, within #BRICS."

Russia also characterised the US actions as "arbitrary imposition of tariff barriers" that contradict free trade principles.

Russia has been vocal about its stance against the US sanctions, with Zakharova highlighting the sanctions as a "defining feature of the current historical period."