'We Wanted It': Ex-US Envoy's 2024 Remark Backing India's Russian Oil Imports Surface
The video resurfaced after US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to "substantially" increase tariffs on India over its continued imports of Russian crude.
A video of former US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, lauding New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil in 2024 has resurfaced on social media, intensifying the debate over Washington's current stance on the issue.
US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to 'substantially" increase tariffs on Indian exports to the US over its continued imports of Russian crude.
In the widely circulated video, Garcetti is heard saying, 'They (India) bought Russian oil because we wanted somebody to buy Russian oil at a price cap. That was not a violation or anything. It was actually the design of the policy because, as a commodity, we didn't want the oil prices going up, and they fulfilled that."
The remarks were made during the 2024 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs while he was serving as the US Ambassador to India.
'India brought Russian Oil, because we wanted somebody to buy Russian oil…", says US ambassador Garcetti on India buying Russian oil ; Adds,'no Price Cap violation, we did not want oil prices to go up..' pic.twitter.com/it3zku9Hbs — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 11, 2024
On Monday, Trump criticised India, accusing it of profiting from discounted Russian oil and reselling it in global markets.
He pledged to impose higher tariffs on New Delhi.
The US President had on August 1 signed an executive order titled 'Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates', enforcing a 25 per cent duty on Indian imports.
MEA Exposes West
The Government of India issued a firm response on Monday, rejecting the accusations and calling the tariff threat 'unjustified and unreasonable."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that India's energy imports from Russia were not only well within international norms but were also previously encouraged by the US itself.
'India has been targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict. In fact, India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict. The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability," the MEA said.
India also defended its oil strategy as an economic necessity rather than a political stance. 'India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security," the MEA asserted.
The government further highlighted what it described as 'double standards," pointing to ongoing US and EU trade with Russia.
In 2024, EU imports of Russian LNG reportedly reached 16.5 million tonnes, while the US continued to import critical materials, including uranium, palladium, and fertilisers, from Russia.
India's Russian crude imports have surged from just 0.2 per cent of total imports before the Ukraine war to over 35 per cent, making Russia its largest oil supplier.
The MEA clarified that this shift was driven by global market dynamics, particularly the redirection of Middle Eastern supplies to Europe.
Trump's rhetoric, including his claim that 'India and Russia could take their dead economies down together," has also drawn sharp criticism from New Delhi, which emphasised that India remains the world's fastest-growing major economy.
As debate continues over trade and energy ties, the viral video of Garcetti appears to underscore the contradiction between the current US administration's tough posture and its earlier policy encouragement.
About the Author
Ronit Singh
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be...Read More
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