New Delhi Hits Out After US Announces Additional Tarrifs; Asserts, India Will Take All Necessary Actions To Protect National Interests

India has reiterated its response against the United States additional tariff imposition saying that the actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. This comes after US President Donald Trump imposed an additional tariff of 25 per cent on India. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.   
 
 
 
Highligting that the US has recently targeted India’s oil imports from Russia, the MEA said that New Delhi has already made clear its position on these issues, including the fact that country’s imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India.
 
 
 
Akashvani’s correspondent reports that the Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI) criticized the United States’ decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, calling it hypocritical and highlighting Washington’s selective approach toward its allies in relation to trade with Moscow. In a statement, GTRI cited data showing that China imported 62.6 billion dollars worth of Russian oil in 2024, exceeding India’s 52.7 billion dollars.
 
 
 
Despite this, Beijing has not faced any punitive tariffs. The institute further noted that the U.S. has ignored the European Union’s 39.1 billion dollars in imports from Russia in 2024, including 25.2 billion dollars worth of oil. It also revealed that the U.S. itself imported 3.3 billion dollars in strategic materials from Russia during the same period.  Finland-based thinktank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has also exposed US double standard on the issue of Russian oil imports.
 
 
 
 
The CREA, in its latest report, exposes what New Delhi describes as West’s double standard in singling out India. Data released by CREA reveal European Union countries significant role in Russia’s fossil fuel revenues, surpassing India’s contribution since the Ukraine conflict began. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has vowed to rally BRICS nations, including India, against U.S. President Donald Trump’s rising tariffs on imports. In an interview with a news agency, Lula criticized Trump’s push for unilateral deals over multilateral cooperation, warning that smaller economies have little leverage alone.