Trump Slaps India with Tariffs Over Russian Oil—China Skates Free: What’s the Deal?

Geopolitical whiplash as Trump admin targets India—not China—for Russian oil imports. Here’s the messy backstory.

The Hypocrisy Playbook

While India faces fresh tariffs, China—the globe’s top crude importer—gets a free pass. Classic ‘rules-based order’ theatrics.

Sanctions as a Swiss Army Knife

Washington’s selective enforcement reeks of legacy trade wars. India’s rupee-rouble workarounds? Too creative for DC’s liking. China’s yuan-petro pipelines? Somehow ‘too big to sanction.’

The Real Bunker Fuel

Behind the moral posturing: crude pragmatism. India lacks China’s economic nukes—no Treasury bond dump threats, no semiconductor strangleholds. Just another emerging market learning that ‘free trade’ has fine print.

Cynical Finance Jab

Meanwhile, Wall Street banks—still clearing ruble trades—quietly update their ‘ESG’ PowerPoints.