India rejects NATO chief’s remarks on impact of US tariff on Russian oil purchases
Statement is factually incorrect, entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place: Randhir Jaiswal
New Delhi: India on Friday dismissed as “entirely baseless” NATO secretary general Mark Rutte’s contention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the impact of US tariffs over Russian oil purchases, and said the country will take all steps to safeguard its economic security.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal brushed aside Rutte’s remarks in a recent interview that focused on the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and punitive measures aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Rutte claimed that a 25% punitive tariff on India over the buying of Russian energy had prompted Modi to speak with Putin on the matter.
“We have seen the statement by NATO secretary general Mr Mark Rutte regarding a purported phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin,” Jaiswal told a media briefing. “The statement is factually incorrect and entirely baseless. At no point has Prime Minister Modi spoken with President Putin in the manner suggested. No such conversation has taken place.”
India expects the leadership of an important institution such as NATO to exercise “greater responsibility and accuracy” in public statements, Jaiswal said. “Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent the Prime Minister’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable,” he said.
Energy imports by New Delhi are meant to “ensure predictable and affordable energy costs” for the Indian consumer. “India will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” Jaiswal said.
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India has faced renewed pressure from the US and the European Union in recent weeks to end the purchases of discounted Russian oil, especially as Trump has stepped up efforts to get countries such as China, India, and Turkey to stop buying Russian crude. US officials have contended that India is profiteering from Russian energy by reselling it, and that it is funding Russia’s “war machine.”
Russia currently meets almost 40% of India’s energy needs, up from less than 1% at the start of the invasion of Ukraine. The Indian side has long argued that its purchases of Russian oil and military hardware are driven by national security and energy security.
Rutte had said in the interview on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York that the new US tariffs “immediately impacts Russia because that means Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and Narendra Modi is asking, ‘Hey, I support you, but could you explain to me the strategy because I have now been hit by these 50% tariffs by the United States.’”
He also said countries that are continuing to buy Russian energy should stop, and that the European Union (EU) is working on this matter.
While justifying India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, Jaiswal said there can’t be “double standards” in the matter, against the backdrop of Trump’s remarks that were apparently critical of the EU and NATO member states for their energy ties with Russia.
Jaiswal also dismissed the EU’s recent criticism of India’s energy ties with Russia.
EU foreign and security policy chief Kaja Kallas said last week that India’s military exercises and its purchase of Russian oil “stand in the way of closer ties” between the two sides.
“On the EU comments on Russian oil, I would like to draw your attention to some of the comments made by several leaders, including Trump, that the EU, NATO and G7 countries should also look at halting energy imports from Russia,” Jaiswal said.
