Russia expects India to keep buying oil despite US concerns

Russia expects to continue supplying oil to India despite warnings from the United States, Russian embassy officials in New Delhi said on Wednesday, adding that Moscow hopes trilateral talks will soon take place with India and China.

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US President Donald Trump has announced an additional tariff of 25% on Indian goods exported to the US from August 27, as a punishment for buying Russian oil, which constitutes 35% of India’s total imports compared with a negligible 0.2% before the Ukraine war.

“I want to highlight that despite the political situation, we can predict the same level of oil import (by India),” Roman Babushkin, the charge d'affaires at the Russian embassy in India, told a press briefing.

He predicted India and Russia would find ways to overcome Trump's latest tariffs in their “national interests”.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said separately that Russia saw scope for supplies of liquefied natural gas to India.

“We continue to ship fuel, including crude oil and oil products, thermal and coking coal. We see potential for the export of Russian LNG,” Manturov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

He also said, according to RIA news agency, that Russia was counting on expanding nuclear energy cooperation with India.

Trade talks between India and the US broke down over the opening up of India’s vast farm and dairy sectors, as well as its purchases of Russian oil. The total tariff announced on Indian goods entering the US is 50%.