Jaishankar Urges Fair Global Order as India Rejects US Tariff Threats

Amid renewed US pressure over Russian oil imports, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called for a “fair and representative” global order that is not dominated by a few powerful nations.

Speaking at the inaugural BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival ‘Saptasur’ in New Delhi, Jaishankar said, “We live in complicated and uncertain times, and a collective desire is to see a fair and representative global order, not one dominated by a few. That quest is often articulated as political or economic rebalancing.”

His remarks came shortly after India rejected US President Donald Trump’s threat of higher tariffs on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases, calling the targeting “unjustified and unreasonable.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that India would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard national interests and economic security.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed out that India began importing Russian crude after traditional suppliers shifted to Europe following the Ukraine conflict — a move initially encouraged by the US to stabilise global energy markets.

India also accused the US and EU of hypocrisy, noting their continued trade with Moscow, including LNG imports, refined petroleum products, and civil nuclear fuel. The EU’s latest sanctions even target the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, jointly owned by Russia’s Rosneft.

Established in 1997, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) promotes economic and technical cooperation among regional nations, making Jaishankar’s remarks especially pointed in the current geopolitical climate.