Jaiswal argued that India only began importing oil from Russia after “traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict” before noting the U.S. appreciated this move at the time as it kept the “global energy markets” stable.

India fired back at the United States after President Trump pledged to increase tariffs on New Delhi over the country’s purchase of Russian oil. In a statement Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the purchase of Russian oil is a “necessity” to “ensure predictable and affordable energy costs” and was once “encouraged”

U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing China and India to stop buying oil from Russia and helping fund the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. Trump is raising the issue as he seeks to press Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.