India Defends Russia Ties Despite Trump's Criticism, Calls Relationship 'Time-Tested'

India's foreign ministry spokesperson said its ties with Russia are "steady and time-tested," despite US President Donald Trump criticizing the nation for purchasing military equipment and energy from Russia. India has a strong relationship with Russia, buying 35% of its crude oil and 36% of its weapons from the country. The spokesperson emphasized that India's bilateral relationships are not subject to third-party perspectives.

India's foreign ministry spokesperson has reaffirmed the nation's "steady and time-tested partnership" with Russia, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's recent criticism. Trump has lambasted India for its continued purchases of military equipment and energy from Russia, imposing a 25% tariff on Indian goods and threatening further penalties. However, India's foreign ministry has maintained that its bilateral relationships are not subject to third-party perspectives [1].

India's strong relationship with Russia is evident in its significant reliance on Russian crude oil and weapons. The country sources about 35% of its crude oil and 36% of its weapons from Russia. This dependence is partly driven by market forces and price advantages, as Russian oil is often sold at discounts to market rates [1]. Moreover, India has been a major beneficiary of Russia's discounted oil supplies, which have increased from just 1% before the Ukraine invasion to 35% in recent years [1].

The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has also criticized India for its close ties with Russia, calling it not a "great global actor." However, India has responded with a measured approach, ruling out retaliation and trying to keep bilateral trade talks on track [1]. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Putin is scheduled to visit India later this year.

The U.S. President's demand for India to halt Russian oil imports could threaten billions in Russian revenues and potentially lead to a global supply crisis. India is now the world's third-largest oil importer and the biggest buyer of Russian oil, accounting for 2% of global supply. If disrupted, this could prompt Russia to retaliate by closing the CPC pipeline from Kazakhstan, where U.S. oil majors Chevron and Exxon hold significant stakes [2].

The Indian government has stated that it can find alternative supply, but this would require a massive realignment of trade flows. This could lead to a spike in diesel prices, especially in Europe, which imports fuel from India. Analysts have warned that cutting off this flow would require a massive realignment of trade flows and could lead to a global supply crisis [2].

Russia's oil and gas revenue fell 33.7% year-on-year in June to its lowest since January 2023, and revenues are expected to fall 37% in July due to weaker global oil prices and a strong rouble [2]. If India stops buying Russian oil, Russia might need to store oil on tankers, pay extra shipping charges, and offer wide discounts to new buyers. This could also prompt Russia to gradually reduce oil production.

India's defiance against Trump's threats has been met with a mix of skepticism and strategic maneuvering. While analysts say India may not have much leverage, the U.S. threat has worked in the past. During Trump's first presidency, India stopped importing oil from Iran after Trump imposed sanctions on Tehran [3]. However, the threats to Moscow's trading partners might not cripple the Russian economy as the U.S. hopes, as Russia has created a "shadow fleet" to skirt sanctions [3].

References:
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-01/india-says-russia-ties-time-tested-as-trump-slams-relationship
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/moscow-might-respond-trump-stops-103621156.html
[3] https://www.npr.org/2025/07/31/nx-s1-5484218/trump-russia-tariff-oil-india