India has issued a sharp rebuttal to recent remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who warned of "100 per cent secondary sanctions" on countries such as India, China, and Brazil should they continue commerce with Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

The confrontation was triggered after Rutte, speaking alongside US Senators in Washington, urged these nations to "reconsider their economic ties with Moscow," warning that failure to support peace negotiations would result in significant economic repercussions.

He specifically called on the leaderships in Beijing, Delhi, and Brasília to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin towards earnest peace talks, stating that otherwise, such measures would "slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way".

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), through spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responded forcefully, denouncing what it characterized as a "clear case of double standards."


Jaiswal underlined that "securing the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us," and stressed that India's decisions are shaped by global market realities and current international circumstances.

He warned against setting different rules for different countries, remarking, "We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter".

The exchange comes as part of escalating diplomatic and economic pressures spurred by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. US President Donald Trump, aligning with NATO on the issue, recently threatened steep tariffs and gave a 50-day ultimatum for Russia to start serious peace talks or face sweeping secondary sanctions that would also target third-party nations maintaining trade with Russia, especially in oil and gas sectors.

Amid these warnings, Indian officials have reiterated the country's capacity to secure alternative energy supplies should Russian imports be disrupted by sanctions. Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured that India has expanded its pool of suppliers from 27 to nearly 40 countries, thus minimising the risk of energy shortages.

Nonetheless, India continues to balance its major strategic and economic interests: maintaining strong ties with Russia, meeting domestic development needs, and navigating the growing pressure from Western partners demanding alignment against Moscow.

Ultimately, India's response underscores its intent to act independently, refusing to acquiesce to external threats or shift its policy under pressure.

The government maintains that its priorities will continue to be guided by national interest and the realities of the international marketplace, while standing firm against what it sees as selective application of international rules.

Agencies