US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would substantially raise tariffs on India over its continued purchases of Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of reselling it for profit in the open market without regard for the war in Ukraine.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The statement comes amid ongoing global scrutiny of countries maintaining energy ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. While Trump did not specify the timeline or details of the proposed tariff hike, his remarks suggest a sharp escalation in trade rhetoric with one of America's key partners in Asia.
There has been no immediate response from the Indian government to Trump’s comments.
Trump last week declared his intention to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from India, warning that the world’s fifth-largest economy would also be subjected to an unspecified penalty. However, he did not elaborate on what that penalty would entail.
Despite the threat, two Indian government officials told Reuters over the weekend that India would continue its oil purchases from Russia. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, indicated that New Delhi’s position remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, Trump’s top aide Stephen Miller on Sunday accused India of indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine through its continued oil imports from Moscow.
“What President Trump said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” said Miller, who served as Trump’s deputy chief of staff and remains one of his closest advisors.