According to trade data shared with Reuters, India is the biggest buyer of seaborne crude from Russia, importing about 1.75 million barrels per day from January to June this year, up 1 per cent from one year ago. In total, it imported Russian oil worth about £38bn in the financial year ending March 2025.

India, which now faces among the highest tariff rates imposed by the US, called the levy "unjustified and unreasonable".

For years, India has balanced close partnerships with both Washington and Moscow, even throughout Ukraine war. Trump is finally demanding it picks a side