Donald Trump warns India will continue to face ‘massive’ tariffs over ‘Russian oil thing’
US President Donald Trump has reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would not ‘be doing the Russian oil thing.’
US President Donald Trump on Sunday reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had confirmed India would not engage in the Russian oil trade. He warned that if India continued the trade, it would face high tariffs.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he's not going to be doing the Russian oil thing," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, as quoted by Reuters.
When asked about the Indian government's denial of any such conversation between Modi and Trump, the US president responded, “But if they want to say that, then they'll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don't want to do that.”
What did Trump claim earlier?
On Wednesday, 15 October, Trump said Modi had assured him India would stop purchasing Russian oil after the US levied additional tariffs on India over these imports.
"He's assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia," Trump told reporters at the White House. “You know, you can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon.”
Why is Trump concerned about India's Russian oil imports?
Trump has previously voiced concerns that India’s ongoing Russian oil imports indirectly support President Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
"I was not happy that India was buying oil," he said.
What did Trump say about Modi and India?
Despite the tensions, Trump praised the Indian prime minister and said, “Modi is a great man. He loves Trump.”
He added, “I've watched India for years. It's an incredible country, and every single year you'd have a new leader. My friend has been there now for a long time."
Last month, Trump acknowledged that the tariffs had “caused a rift” with India.
“Look, India was their biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on India because they're buying oil from Russia. That's not an easy thing to do. That's a big deal, and it causes a rift with India,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News in September.
US Tariffs on India
Earlier this year, Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing high duties and non-monetary trade barriers. He later imposed an additional penalty over Russian oil imports, raising the total tariffs to 50%.