US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has identified India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil as a “point of irritation” in its bilateral ties with the United States. Rubio’s comments come just a day after former President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, alongside an unspecified penalty, targeting India’s procurement of Russian oil and weapons.
In an interview with Fox News Radio on Thursday, Rubio described India as an “ally” and “strategic partner” of the US but expressed concern that India’s continued import of Russian crude oil is hampering cooperation between the two countries. Russian oil accounted for 35 to 40 percent of India’s oil imports in 2024, a sharp rise from just 3 percent in 2021.
India has not formally responded to Rubio’s remarks. However, Delhi maintains that as a major energy importer, it must prioritize buying the most affordable crude to shield millions of low-income citizens from rising fuel costs. Following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict and Western sanctions on Russia, India notably increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude.
Acknowledging these energy demands, Rubio noted India’s reliance on cheaper Russian oil but warned that this trade was inadvertently supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. “With so many other oil vendors available, India continues to buy so much from Russia,” he said, echoing Trump’s threat to penalize Indian firms involved in these transactions.
Recent reports from Reuters indicate that several Indian state-owned refiners—including Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL), Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), and Indian Oil Corp (IOCL)—have halted Russian crude imports over the past week due to reduced discounts. HSBC Global Investment Research also highlighted a “significant decline” in India’s Russian oil purchases in July.
India’s Petroleum Ministry, however, has denied instructing state refiners to cease buying Russian oil. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has reassured that India can meet its energy needs through diversified suppliers if US sanctions disrupt Russian crude availability. India has expanded its oil supply sources from 27 to approximately 40 countries.
According to the ratings agency CareEdge, any shift away from Russian oil imports is expected to have a minimal impact on India’s current account deficit. The price gap between Russian Ural crude and Brent crude has narrowed considerably, from about $20 per barrel in 2023 to roughly $3 per barrel, reducing the economic incentive to buy Russian oil.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent comments on India-Russia trade ties have drawn sharp reactions from Moscow. On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social dismissively, “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
In response, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, issued a veiled warning on Telegram. Referencing the popular zombie series The Walking Dead, Medvedev urged Trump to recall the Soviet-era “Dead Hand” nuclear system—an automatic retaliatory mechanism allegedly designed to launch nuclear weapons in the event of an attack. Medvedev wrote, “Maybe he should remember how dangerous the so-called ‘Dead Hand,’ which doesn’t even exist, could be.”
The Cold War-era “Dead Hand” remains a potent symbol of Russia’s nuclear deterrence strategy, underscoring the heightened tensions surrounding US-India-Russia relations amid the ongoing geopolitical conflict.
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