Trump rates 'not about Russian oil': AMITABH Kant says trading war 'must be a wake-up call for India'

Former Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday that Trump’s rates on India are not about purchasing Russian oil as the US kicked off its 50 percent levies on almost all Indian exports. Kant describes the situation as an irony and said that US rates should be a “wake -up call for India”. “Trump’s rates must be a wake -up call for India. The irony is striking: the US is negotiating actively with Russia and China, and the latter is the largest buyer of Russian oil, but still chooses to target India with rates. Let’s be clear, it’s not about Russian oil,” Kant said in a post on X. ‘It’s about India’s energy security and strategic autonomy, which we should never compromise. India has on several occasions refused to give world print. This moment should be no different, ‘he wrote. Amitabh side insists on having ‘daring, once in a generation of reforms’ to ensure long -term growth. “Rather than intimidating us, these global windwinds should galvanize India in daring, once in the generation reforms, while also diversifying our export markets to ensure long -term growth and resilience,” the G20 Sherpa noted. Kant’s remarks came hours after US rates at India occurred at 09:31 o’clock on Monday, a step described by President Donald Trump as a ‘punishment’ for purchasing Russian oil in New -Delhi. (This is a developing story, look back for updates)