Russian crude made up 35-40% of India’s oil imports in 2024, up from 3% in 2021.<\/p>\n
The US has alleged that India’s purchase of Russian oil is helping fund the war in Ukraine, a charge Delhi denies.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Kumar told Russia’s TASS news agency that India’s trade was based on market factors, external<\/a> and that its priority remains energy security for its population. He also reiterated India’s stand that Trump’s decision to impose secondary tariffs was “unfair, unreasonable and unjustified”. <\/p>\n Kumar’s statement came hours after India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar robustly defended India’s purchase of Russian crude, external<\/a>.<\/p>\n “It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accusing other people of doing business,” he said on Saturday, pointing out that the US has not imposed secondary tariffs on China – the largest importer of Russian oil – or the European Union, which still conducts a huge amount of trade with Russia.<\/p>\n He said that India maintained strategic autonomy in its decision-making, signalling that it would not be pressured by the US into reducing oil imports from Russia.<\/p>\n India maintains friendly relations with Ukraine, while Russia is one of its most important allies.<\/p>\n Delhi has repeatedly called for a “peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy” to the Russia-Ukraine war, but has avoided public condemnation of Russia despite pressure from the West.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Ukraine in 2024, and India has expressed its willingness to “contribute in all possible ways, external<\/a> to facilitate an early restoration of peace”.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Ukraine’s ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk told local media that President Volodymr Zelensky may visit India soon, though the dates haven’t been confirmed yet.<\/p>\n Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to visit India sometime this year.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Vance expressed confidence in Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n “He (Trump) tried to make it clear that Russia can be re-invited into the world economy if they stop the killing. But they are going to continue to be isolated if they don’t stop the killing,” he said.<\/p>\n Follow BBC News India on Instagram, external<\/a>, YouTube,, external<\/a> X, external<\/a> and Facebook, external<\/a>.<\/p>\n