The Trump administration was surprised by India's decision not to abandon gas from Russia

The administration of US President Donald Trump has indicated its puzzlement at India's decision to sacrifice the opportunity to get tariff reductions for gas purchases from Russia. This was announced on August 27 by Peter Navarro, senior adviser to the head of the White House on trade and manufacturing.

"India may get a 25% reduction [in duties] tomorrow if it stops purchasing Russian oil. <...> But they are not [willing to do this], and I am puzzled," he said live on Bloomberg TV.

Navarro stressed that India, a country with a "mature democracy," is run by "smart people" who at the same time refuse Washington's proposal, which intends to get not only this country, but also China, to stop buying oil from the Russian Federation.

Delivery played: India has made a decision on Russian oil

Fuel purchases from the Russian Federation are an issue of energy security for 1.4 billion residents of the republic, the ambassador said.

The Reuters news agency reported a day earlier that the 50% trade duties previously announced by Trump have already begun to apply to India. It clarifies that the tariffs affected goods, which included precious stones, jewelry, shoes, sporting goods, as well as furniture and chemicals.

Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar said on August 23 that the United States and the European Union (EU) countries, despite their accusations against India, continue to buy oil from it. He advised these states, if they have problems purchasing fossil fuels from India, not to purchase it anymore.

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