Dhaka, Aug. 5 -- India on Monday objected to the United States and the European Union (EU) targeting it for importing oil from Russia, saying it was "unjustified and unreasonable."

In a written statement, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said that India's energy imports from Russia were essential to ensuring affordable and predictable fuel prices for Indian consumers.

The statement came soon after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to substantially hike tariffs on India for the buying and selling of Russian oil.

"The very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," the spokesman said in the statement. ...