US going soft on China

China is importing Russian and Iranian oil despite mounting US pressure. Beijing’s energy strategy defies Western sanctions and its growing consumption exposes America’s inconsistent treatment of global energy buyers. While India faces threats of penalty for buying oil from Russia, China enjoys leniency. New Delhi must highlight this disparity diplomatically while firming up alternative energy deals both in the Middle East and Central Asia. Strengthening refining capacity and green energy initiatives can insulate India from coercion. Additionally, New Delhi must seek multilateral frameworks over unilateral sanctions and continue to assert a non-aligned and sovereign economic policy amid increasing global polarisation.

RS Narula, Patiala

Trade, tariff terror can’t coexist

President Trump’s India-specific trade tariffs stem from New Delhi’s oil purchase arrangements with Moscow and Tehran. It has nothing to do with sympathy for Ukraine, as claimed by the US administration. Trump’s experiments on oil deals may boomerang in the long run, jeopardising America’s own growth story amid uncertainty in global economies. The tariff scare has caused volatility in stock markets, causing huge financial craters in gold and oil sectors and putting small nations at risk. Trade and tariff terror can’t go hand in hand.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

US concern for Ukraine fake

Apropos of ‘Unjustified, unreasonable: MEA hits back as Trump vows to hike tariffs’; the US President’s actions are motivated more by his individual perception than by his desire to Make America Great Again. The famous Hindi idiom, Nau sau chuhe kha ke billi Haj ko chali, succinctly sums up his concern for the Ukrainian people. The MEA has rightly pointed out that the very nations criticising India are themselves trading with Russia. Our imports are a necessity, whereas they don’t have any compulsion. The US is still importing chemicals, fertilisers, palladium and uranium hexaflouride from Russia, so what is the problem if India continues to buy oil from Russia?

Upendra Sharma, by mail

Young team’s solid fight

Apropos of ‘India rocked The Oval and old order tilted’ and the editorial ‘Vintage cricket’; a 2-2 draw following India’s six-run triumph against the hosts at The Oval was a dramatic but well-deserved victory. For India, playing England on their home turf is always tough. India has won a Test series on English soil only thrice, with the last victory coming in 2007. It was difficult this time too as the squad did not have Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. Shubman Gill’s men fought very hard. A team in transition is bound to have teething troubles. However, with their solid performance, these players offer hope for Test cricket.

Vandana, Chandigarh

Captivating finale

With reference to ‘Vintage cricket’; India’s long cricket tour of England concluded in a gripping finale. The enthralling victory against England, and that too at The Oval, was the sum total of a well-contested Test series. Mohammed Siraj was the undisputed star of the final Test, even as many players made their presence felt. However, at the end of the day, it was Test cricket, which is said to be dying a slow death due to the T20 craze, which emerged as the winner and is here to stay.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

SC’s pick-and-choose approach

The comments made by the Supreme Court Bench on the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi are uncalled for. Courts should pass orders but not preach. As LoP, Rahul has every right to ask questions. Recently, a BJP MP called Col Sofiya a ‘sister of terrorists’, no observation was made by the Supreme Court; in the Chandigarh mayoral elections presiding officer Anil Masih was caught on camera rigging votes in favour of BJP candidate last year, the SC has still not taken any action against him. A BJP leader held then CJI Sanjiv Khanna responsible for ‘civil wars’ happening in this country, but the apex court kept mum.

Bhupinder Kochhar, Panchkula