Trump threatens India with ‘massive tariffs' for Russian oil buying
US President Donald Trump has renewed his warning to impose “massive tariffs” on India if it continues purchasing Russian oil, insisting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him such imports would stop.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Modi had told him India would no longer buy Russian oil, but warned that if India continued, “they’ll just pay massive tariffs, and they don’t want to do that.” His remarks came after Indian officials stated there were no immediate plans to reduce imports from Russia.
Recent reports suggested some Indian refiners may begin cutting back on Russian crude purchases, though New Delhi has denied any such moves. Washington has claimed India already halved its imports, while industry sources in India disputed the figure.
Earlier this year, Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports to the US to pressure New Delhi into ending Russian oil purchases. The Indian government criticized the move, citing national energy security concerns and asserting that import decisions are guided solely by domestic needs, not external influence.
Following Trump’s comments, India reiterated that no such conversation about halting Russian oil imports had taken place between the two leaders.
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