Russian envoy calls US pressure on India for buying oil from his country 'unjustified'

The US pressure on India over its purchase of Russian crude oil is "unjustified", a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday (August 20).

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin asserted that India-Russia energy cooperation would continue despite “external pressure.”

Also Read: US Treasury Secretary Bessent accuses India of profiteering from Russian oil

Russia welcomes Indian exports

Responding to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, Babushkin said Moscow remained open to expanding trade ties with New Delhi.

"It is a challenging situation for India,” the Russian diplomat said at a media briefing, adding that Russia has "trust" in its ties with New Delhi.

"If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is welcoming Indian exports," Babushkin said during the press briefing.

On Western sanctions against Moscow, Babushkin remarked that punitive measures were backfiring on those imposing them.

US's 'neocolonial' move

He also rejected a US trade adviser’s call for India to stop buying Russian oil, labelling it "unilateral" and "neocolonial".

"Russia is the largest producer of oil and India is the largest consumer. Any kind of unilateral action leads to disruptions in supply chains, imbalance in pricing policies, and destabilisation of global markets, endangering the energy security of developing countries," he said.

"Hypothetically, if India refuses Russian oil, it will not lead to equal cooperation with the West in general because it is not in the Western nature, which was clearly demonstrated in recent years. They behave like neocolonial powers that think of their own benefit. This pressure is unjustified and unilateral,” he added.

Also Read: Trump imposed tariffs on India to end Russia-Ukraine war: White House

Resilience of India-Russia relations

The Russian envoy underlined the resilience of India-Russia relations, calling Western criticism proof that New Delhi was pursuing its own best interests.

"If the West criticises you, it means you are doing everything right. We don’t expect that to happen (India stopping oil purchases). We know about the challenging circumstances for India. This is the true strategic partnership we are enjoying. Whatever happens, even during challenges, we are committed to removing any problems," Babushkin said.

He cited the recent phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as evidence of the trust and strategic depth in bilateral ties.

"The recent phone call by President Putin to PM Modi, explaining and sharing the information about recent developments in Ukraine, means India matters a lot to Russia. We are capable of finding any solution for mutual satisfaction. The deepening of our partnership will help us grow together," he added.

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Role of BRICS

Babushkin further noted that sanctions had not slowed bilateral trade. "We have seen this problem of sanctions for many years now, but our trade is growing. In recent years, our trade has grown by seven times," he noted.

Answering a question, he also predicted that BRICS would play an increasingly important stabilising role amid global turbulence.

His remarks came amid strains in India-US ties following Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including an additional 25 per cent penalty linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

(With inputs from agencies)