India Responds to Trump's Threat

On August 5th, in response to US President Donald Trump's threat to sharply increase tariffs on India, and the US and Europe's accusations that India imported or even sold Russian oil after the conflict broke out in Russia and Ukraine, Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded in a statement on the evening of August 4th local time, saying that "the accusations against India are obviously unfair, and India will take all necessary measures to safeguard national interests and economic security like all major economies." The statement said that India's switch to buying Russian oil was "a passive choice" - after the conflict broke out, traditional supply sources were diverted to Europe, and the US had clearly supported India's move to stabilize the global energy market. The statement pointed out that India's imports are designed to ensure that its citizens have access to affordable energy, which is a necessary measure in the face of global market volatility.