New Delhi, India – Russia expects India to continue importing its crude oil despite escalating tensions with Washington, officials from the Russian Embassy in New Delhi said this week. Moscow is also seeking to revive trilateral talks with India and China as part of its broader vision for a “Greater Eurasian Partnership.”
Roman Babushkin, Russia’s charge d’affaires in India, told reporters that New Delhi and Moscow were aligned in their “national interests” and would find ways to overcome the latest U.S. trade penalties. President Donald Trump recently announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S., doubling the total duty level to 50% on certain goods, in response to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
India’s imports of Russian crude have surged since the war in Ukraine, making up roughly 35% of total purchases, compared with just 0.2% before the conflict. Russian Deputy Trade Commissioner Evgeny Griva noted that the discounts offered—typically 5–7%—made Russian oil “very profitable” for Indian refiners. He added that Moscow had implemented mechanisms, including rupee settlements, to safeguard trade flows after funds were previously trapped in Indian banks.
The tariffs come against the backdrop of failed U.S.-India trade negotiations, which collapsed over disagreements on India’s farm and dairy market access as well as its oil trade with Russia. India’s foreign ministry has described Washington’s decision to single out Indian imports as “extremely unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, Russia is trying to recalibrate regional alignments. Babushkin stressed that the long-discussed trilateral framework between India, Russia, and China could resume soon, highlighting its role in building a “Greater Eurasian Partnership.” Moscow sees such a mechanism as a counterweight to Western sanctions and a means of strengthening Asia’s economic and strategic architecture.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China later this month for the first time in over seven years, following recent exchanges including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to New Delhi. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also scheduled to meet Modi in New Delhi by year-end, with all three leaders expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit beginning August 31.
The push for deeper Eurasian cooperation comes at a moment of rising global fragmentation, with Moscow betting that discounted energy supplies and regional diplomacy will help cement its ties with Asian partners even as relations with the West continue to deteriorate.
