Jaishankar Slams US Tariffs On India, Says Protecting Farmers, Small Producers Is Top Priority

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (23 August) slammed the United States for levying what he termed “unjustified and unreasonable” tariffs of 50 per cent on Indian exports , The Business Standard reported.

Addressing The Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, Jaishankar underlined that safeguarding the interests of farmers and small producers was the government’s “red line” and non-negotiable.

"What we are concerned about is that red lines are primarily the interest of our farmers and, to some extent, our small producers. So when people pronounce that we have succeeded or failed, we as a government are committed to defending the interests of our farmers and small producers. We are determined on that. That's not something we can compromise," Jaishankar stated.

The Trump administration last month imposed an extra 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports, in addition to an earlier 25 per cent reciprocal levy, citing India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

This has raised the total tariff to 50 per cent — the highest imposed on any country except Brazil.

The minister said the tariff issue was being misrepresented as an oil dispute, noting that similar criticism was not directed at China — the largest importer of Russian oil — or European countries, which continue to buy large quantities of Russian gas.

"This is being presented as an oil issue. But why I say 'being presented' is because the same arguments that have been used to target India have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, and have not been applied to the largest LNG importer, which is the European nations," he said.

Jaishankar highlighted what he termed a contradiction in Western policy, pointing out that Europe’s trade with Russia remains much larger than India’s.

"And when people say we are funding the war and putting the money, Russia-European trade is bigger than India-Russia trade. So European money is not putting coffers (sic)? The overall Russia-EU trade is bigger than the Russia-India trade. If the argument is energy, they (EU) are bigger buyers. If the argument is who is the bigger trader, they are bigger than us. India's exports to Russia have grown, but not that much," Jaishankar added.

Emphasising India’s right to strategic autonomy, Jaishankar said decisions taken in the country’s national interest were non-negotiable.

On relations with Washington, he said dialogue between the two sides was continuing despite tensions.

“The lines are not cut, people are talking to each other, and we will see where it goes,” he remarked.

Asked about the new US ambassador to India, Jaishankar declined to comment, saying, "Look, I am the foreign minister, I don't comment on ambassadorial appointments of other countries".

Earlier in the week, Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

He also co-chaired the 26th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

The Ministry of External Affairs said discussions in Moscow covered terrorism, the Ukraine conflict, and regional developments in West Asia and Afghanistan.

Jaishankar also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to Putin and discussed bilateral and global issues.

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