The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has released a scathing critique of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric, accusing him of unfairly targeting India’s Russian oil imports while ignoring China’s much larger volume. According to GTRI, China topped the charts in 2024 with $62.6 billion in Russian oil purchases, compared to India’s $52.7 billion. Despite this discrepancy, Trump has focused criticism exclusively on India, raising concerns over biased U.S. oil import policy and political double standards.
GTRI emphasizes that India does not export crude oil—an assertion Trump’s claims misrepresent. Instead, India refines imported crude into petroleum products like diesel and aviation fuel. The think tank defends India’s energy strategy, arguing it is commercially driven, transparent, and aligned with global market dynamics. GTRI also notes that Indian refiners make independent buying decisions based on price, supply reliability, and export criteria—without centralized government mandates.
The report asserts that this selective criticism may reflect geopolitical calculations rather than objective trade enforcement. GTRI urges Washington to acknowledge China’s dominant role in Russian oil imports and to avoid punitive tariffs based on skewed narratives. India, it concludes, deserves fair treatment as it continues balancing its economic sovereignty, energy security, and international trade relations amid mounting global pressure.
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#RussianOilImports
#TrumpCriticism
#IndiaEnergyPolicy
#ChinaOilPurchases
#BiasInUSPolicy
#TradeDoubleStandard
#EnergySecurity
#GlobalOilMarket
#CommercialOilStrategy
