Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has slammed the United States over “double standards” in imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil. He pointed out that while Americans themselves are importing uranium and palladium from Russia, they have also give China, which imports “far more” Russian oil, a “90-day break” from the US tariffs.

Tharoor further stated that the recent announcement by the US has “not been a particularly friendly gesture” from a country which seemed to be “well disposed” towards India.

“Uranium, palladium, there are various things they (US) are importing from Russia. There is, unfortunately, a certain double standard involved. They have given the Chinese a 90-day break, but the Chinese are importing far more Russian oil than we are. So clearly this has not been a particularly friendly gesture from a country we thought was well disposed towards us, an administration that we thought was well disposed,” Tharoor told reporters.