India's purchase of Russian oil presented as an issue: EAM S Jaishankar at ET World Leaders Forum 2025

Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar said that US President Donald Trump has a very public way of conducting his foreign policy, including trade matters. Further highlighting that the issue of "India buying Russian oil" was not discussed before Trump's announcement. 

The EAM said, "We have not had a U.S. president who's conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure that's not limited to India. President Trump's way of dealing with the world, even dealing with his own country, is a very major departure from the traditional orthodox manner of doing so." 

#WATCH | Delhi: At The Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, EAM Dr S Jaishankar speaks on US President Donald Trump, he says, "We've not had a US President who's conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure that's not limited to India...… pic.twitter.com/vo0qbQDwgv

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2025

Jaishankar added that Trump's use of tariffs for trade and non-trade matters is very novel. The Trump administration first announces it to the public, and then conveys it to the concerned party. He said, "The fact that a lot of this is said in public. Often, the first pronouncement in public is even more unusual. This is the situation that the entire world is facing." 

Three issues between Trump and India

Jaishankar stated three issues when it comes to Trump and India. The first one is trade. 

The Union Minister said, "Negotiations (between US and India) are still going on. But the bottom line is we have some red lines. Negotiations are still going on in the sense that nobody said the negotiations are off. People do talk to each other. It's not like there is a 'kutti' there...Where we are concerned, the red lines are primarily the interests of our farmers, and to some extent, of our small producers." 

The second is "being presented as an oil issue." Jaishankar said, "The same arguments that are being used to target India have not been applied to the largest oil importer - China, and the largest importer, which is the European Union." 

Responding to the percentage increase of India's oil purchase made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jaishankar added, "If the argument is percentage of increase...yes, some countries have not increased their percentage because they have gone and bought oil from Iran, to which the Americans also have an objection." 

The third is mediation. The EAM sternly said that India does not accept any external mediation, especially when it comes to its relationship with Pakistan."