India should not let US tariff threats dictate Russian oil imports: GTRI

New Delhi: The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) on Wednesday said India should continue importing discounted Russian crude oil as long as it remains commercially viable, asserting that decisions on energy sourcing must be guided by the country's economic interests, energy security and strategic autonomy rather than the threat of higher US tariffs.

The remarks came after the US Senate voted to advance a Russia sanctions bill that could empower US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries purchasing Russian oil, including India.

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GTRI said Washington is increasingly using trade and economic measures to pursue broader geopolitical objectives, but cautioned that New Delhi should resist making policy shifts in response to every new US move.

"India should avoid recalibrating its policies in response to every new US action. Decisions on crude oil imports must be driven by India's economic interests, energy security and strategic autonomy, not by the threat of additional US tariffs," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

Srivastava said India should continue sourcing Russian crude while managing differences with Washington through dialogue and negotiations instead of making unilateral concessions under external pressure.

According to GTRI, India could come under greater scrutiny under the proposed legislation despite China remaining the world's largest importer of Russian crude.

The think tank noted that Russia emerged as India's largest crude oil supplier in FY26, accounting for 30.3 percent of the country's total crude imports. India imported Russian crude worth USD 40.8 billion during the fiscal, out of overall crude oil imports valued at USD 134.7 billion.

Srivastava said access to discounted Russian oil has substantially reduced India's import bill, strengthened the country's energy security and helped keep domestic inflation under control.

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The think tank added that any decision on crude procurement should continue to be based on commercial viability and national interest, while diplomatic engagement should remain the preferred route for addressing differences with the United States.

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