New Delhi, August 23: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday denounced Washington’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian exports, saying New Delhi will not yield on protecting its farmers and small producers.
Speaking at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, Jaishankar described the US move—tariffs raised to more than 50 percent following India’s continued purchase of Russian oil—as “unjustified and unreasonable.”
“Our concern is very clear,” he said. “The red lines are the interests of our farmers and, to some extent, our small producers. As a government, we are committed to defending those interests. That is not something we can compromise.”
Jaishankar rejected the framing of the tariffs as punishment for India’s energy ties with Moscow, arguing that the same scrutiny has not been applied to others.
“This is being presented as an oil issue. But the same arguments used to target India have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, nor to the largest LNG importer, which is the European nations,” he noted.
He also questioned the consistency of Western criticism, pointing to Europe’s continued trade with Russia. “When people say we are funding the war, the reality is Russia-European trade is much bigger than Russia-India trade. If the argument is energy, they are the bigger buyers. If the argument is who trades more, again they are larger than us. India’s exports to Russia have grown, but not to the extent being suggested.”
The minister stressed that India will continue to act independently in matters of strategic interest. “The issue of decisions we make in our national interest is our right. That is what strategic autonomy is about,” he said.
Despite the dispute, Jaishankar said dialogue with Washington continues. “We are two big countries. The lines are not cut, people are talking to each other, and we will see where it goes,” he said.
When asked about Washington’s appointment of a new ambassador to India, Jaishankar declined to comment. “I am the Foreign Minister. I don’t comment on ambassadorial appointments of other countries,” he remarked.
The comments came shortly after Jaishankar’s trip to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin, Deputy First Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He also co-chaired the 26th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).
The Ministry of External Affairs said the Moscow visit covered a wide range of issues, including terrorism, the conflict in Ukraine, and developments in West Asia and Afghanistan. Jaishankar conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to Putin and held discussions on bilateral and global matters.
