Trump Warns India of ‘Massive’ Tariffs Over Continued Russian Oil Imports
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE / WASHINGTON, Oct 20: U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that India will continue facing “massive” tariffs on its exports to the United States if it does not halt imports of Russian oil, even as New Delhi maintains it has made no such commitment to Washington.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would stop purchasing Russian crude.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump said.
However, when asked about India’s denial of any such conversation, Trump responded sharply: “If they want to say that, then they’ll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don’t want to do that.”
Russian oil imports have become one of the key sticking points in U.S.-India trade relations, with Trump imposing 50% tariffs on certain Indian goods, half of which he said were in retaliation for India’s ongoing oil trade with Moscow.
Washington argues that revenue from Russian petroleum exports helps fund Russia’s war in Ukraine, while India insists that its energy purchases are driven by domestic needs and consumer interests.
India has emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian seaborne crude, capitalizing on lower prices since Western nations boycotted Russian oil following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
An Indian government official said trade discussions between both countries remain “congenial” but declined to provide details, citing the sensitivity of the talks. The official confirmed that an Indian delegation recently returned from Washington after a round of discussions.
Last Wednesday, Trump reiterated that Modi had assured him India would cease Russian oil imports, a claim that India’s Foreign Ministry said it was “not aware of,” adding that New Delhi’s priority was to “safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer.”
A White House official later stated that India had halved its purchases of Russian oil, though Indian industry sources disputed this, saying no immediate reduction had been observed.
Indian refiners, according to sources, have already placed orders for November shipments, including some expected to arrive in December, suggesting that any decline in Russian oil imports would likely be reflected only in December or January trade data.
Meanwhile, data from commodities analytics firm Kpler projects that India’s imports of Russian crude will rise nearly 20% in October to around 1.9 million barrels per day, as Russia boosts exports following Ukrainian drone strikes on several refineries.
As trade negotiations continue, analysts say Trump’s latest remarks underscore the fragile balance between Washington’s geopolitical objectives and New Delhi’s economic realities, with energy security likely to remain a key flashpoint in U.S.-India relations.
— Voice of Malaysia News