Double Standard? Trump Slams India on Russian Oil, Spares China Major Tariffs

A glaring double standard appeared to be on display at the UN General Assembly as President Donald Trump fiercely condemned India for purchasing Russian oil while largely sparing China, another major buyer, from similar punitive tariffs. In his speech, Trump named both nations as “primary funders” of the Ukraine war but his administration’s actions tell a different story.
Trump’s acerbic comments singled out India for its energy trade with Moscow, framing it as a direct enabler of the conflict. “China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war,” he declared. This rhetoric has been matched with action against New Delhi; the US recently imposed an additional 25% levy, doubling overall tariffs on Indian imports to a crippling 50% to pressure it on this very issue.
In stark contrast, China has not been subjected to major new punitive tariffs related to its Russian oil purchases. The speech comes even as trade agreement talks between the US and China continue, with Trump having spoken to President Xi Jinping just last Friday. This differential treatment raises questions in New Delhi about the fairness and consistency of US foreign policy.
The speech also contained another jab at India, with Trump repeating his disputed claim that he personally averted a war between India and Pakistan. This assertion, part of his quest for a Nobel Peace Prize, is consistently rejected by India, which maintains that the de-escalation of ‘Operation Sindoor’ was its own sovereign decision.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, this situation creates a complex geopolitical puzzle. India is being heavily penalized for a policy that China is also pursuing, all while the US maintains active, high-level dialogue with Beijing. This perceived inequity will likely fuel India’s resolve to maintain its strategic autonomy, even as it navigates the economic and diplomatic fallout from Trump’s very public condemnation.