Indian foreign minister defends crude imports, says buyers free to avoid refined products from India - Anadolu Ajansı

India and Russia agreed to boost trade ties on Thursday as their foreign ministers met in Moscow, giving little indication that U.S. President Donald Trump's hefty tariffs on India for buying Russian oil would disrupt their relations.

From India recalibrating its foreign policy as ties with the US nosedived and Indian exporters weighing Russia as a viable market, to the UN chief calling famine in Gaza a “failure of humanity” and Iran and European countries agreeing to resume nuclear talks,

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed some of the “richest families in India” benefited from the purchase of Russian crude oil, while reiterating plans to boost tariffs on the South Asian nation.

Russia expects to continue supplying oil to India despite warnings from the United States, Russian embassy officials in New Delhi said on Wednesday, adding that Moscow hopes trilateral talks will soon take place with India and China.

It comes as U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on India for buying Russian oil.

Already, China is on course to be in a significantly advantageous position vis-a-vis India after the August 27 secondary tariffs kick in.

India's Russian oil imports declined in July after jumping the previous month as some refiners slowed purchases due to smaller discounts, while Indian fuel demand also typically dips during the monsoon season,