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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has once again issued a warning to India regarding imposing significant tariffs unless India reduces its procurement of Russian oil. Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally assured him that India would cease such imports.
During a conversation aboard Air Force One with reporters, Trump mentioned that PM Modi informed him, “I’m not going to be involved in purchasing Russian oil.” However, Trump emphasized that failure to comply would result in facing substantial tariff penalties.
In response to the Indian government’s denial of any recent discussion between him and PM Modi, Trump reiterated that failure to acknowledge the conversation would result in continued imposition of substantial tariffs.
These statements followed an unexpected announcement by Trump in the Oval Office, where he stated that PM Modi had assured him of India ceasing oil purchases from Russia, which he described as a significant development.
Highlighting that India receives around one-third of its oil supply from Russia, Trump expressed concerns that such purchases were aiding Moscow in financing its activities in Ukraine.
The U.S. government has been increasing pressure on countries maintaining energy relationships with Russia, arguing that oil revenue is supporting Vladimir Putin’s military endeavors.
Contradicting Trump’s assertion, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India dismissed his claim. During a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that there was no record of any discussion between Trump and PM Modi on the aforementioned topic.
Jaiswal mentioned that while discussions on energy collaboration with the U.S. are ongoing, there was no confirmation of India committing to halt Russian oil imports as per Trump’s claim.
“Ongoing discussions aim to strengthen energy ties with the United States,” Jaiswal declared, without providing specifics on potential changes in India’s import strategy.
Trump’s cautionary message coincides with India facing substantial import duties from the U.S., which were raised to 50% earlier in the year on various key exports like textiles and pharmaceuticals.
The President indicated that these tariffs would either remain or escalate if India persisted in buying Russian oil. He reiterated, “If they keep doing it, they’ll be paying massive tariffs.”
Notably, Russia has emerged as India’s primary oil supplier in recent times, accounting for approximately one-third of its total crude imports, according to data from the energy ministry. India has justified these purchases as vital for energy security, particularly due to discounted rates on Russian crude.
India has consistently maintained that its oil imports from Russia are driven by national interests rather than political affiliations, emphasizing that the country continues to diversify its sources of oil procurement.