Trade deal has been announced between America and India. Donald Trump has also removed the 25 percent tariff imposed on India as a penalty for purchasing Russian oil. However, he has said that if India buys Russian oil directly or through any other channel, then this penalty will be imposed again. Experts are calling this attitude of Donald Trump as double standard.

Soft attitude towards PAK and China is a threat to India: Sibal

Former Foreign Secretary of India Kanwal Sibal described this development as Donald Trump’s double standard. He said that this is clearly an attempt to create pressure because our oil purchase from Russia has no connection with any bilateral trade deal with America. This is a political issue, which should be resolved at the political level and not through tariffs.

He posted on At the same time, China, which is importing large quantities of crude oil and gas from Russia, but America’s soft attitude towards it is also a matter of concern for India’s security and foreign policy, especially when China’s attitude has always been hostile towards India.

This is plain arm twisting.

Our oil purchases from Russia have nothing to do with a bilateral trade deal with the US.

This is a political issue, to be negotiated politically and not through tariffs.

Our purchases of Russian oil is not a threat to US security and foreign… https://t.co/CLeFD9KxJz

— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) February 7, 2026

The former Foreign Secretary said, ‘Why is it that China’s purchase of oil and gas from Russia is not considered a threat to America’s security and foreign policy? America’s statement that if India again buys Russian oil directly or through a third country, it will be monitored and 25 percent tariff and other possible actions can be reimposed as punishment. This is an insult to India and shows that this relationship is not being seen as a relationship of equals.

Trump’s message is clear, India should buy oil only from US: Chellani

Strategic expert Dr. Brahma Chellani said, ‘The most important and sensitive aspect of Trump’s executive order regarding Russian oil is its monitoring system. Under this order, the US Commerce Secretary has been formally given the responsibility of monitoring India’s oil imports. Along with this, a clear provision has also been made that if it is found that India has resumed importing Russian oil, then the 25 percent tariff can be immediately reimposed.

The real sting in Trump’s executive order on Russian oil lies in its monitoring mandate. It formally tasks the commerce secretary with tracking Indian oil imports and creates a clear trigger: a finding that India has resumed “directly or indirectly” importing Russian oil could…

—Dr. Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) February 7, 2026

He said that the indirect use of the word in Trump’s executive order is particularly important and has a broad meaning. This could mean that if Washington believes that diesel, jet fuel or other refined petroleum products exported from India to Europe or the US are made from Russian crude, then action could be taken against them. He said that the message from Washington is very clear that India’s energy security should be linked to a supplier which is geographically far away and whose supplies are very expensive, i.e. America.

Also read: ‘India will not buy oil from Russia’, India’s reply to Donald Trump’s claim, know what he said?