Trump Warns of Increased Tariffs on India Over Continued Russian Oil Trade

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued another criticism directed at India concerning its ongoing oil trade with Russia. He warned of a "substantial" increase in tariffs on Indian goods entering the United States.

In a message shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that India is not only buying large quantities of Russian crude oil but also selling a significant portion of it on the open market for profit. He remarked, "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," and announced plans to significantly raise tariffs imposed on Indian imports to the U.S.

Although Trump did not specify the exact tariff rate in his recent comments, this statement is in line with an earlier announcement where he suggested a 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, as well as an unspecified economic penalty.

Sources within the Indian government have downplayed the potential impact, telling NDTV that the measure is anticipated to have a "negligible" effect on the Indian economy. Internal evaluations suggest that any potential reduction in India’s GDP would likely be less than 0.2 percent.

Indian officials have maintained that the country's oil purchases from Russia will persist. A senior official remarked, “India's energy purchases are driven by national interests and market forces,” emphasizing there are no intentions to cease Russian crude imports.

India, now the world's third-largest oil importer after China and the U.S., has significantly boosted its imports of Russian oil following steep discounts offered by Moscow amid Western sanctions due to the Ukraine conflict. Before 2022, the majority of India's oil was sourced from the Middle East.

Trump's latest warning coincides with his broader dissatisfaction with Moscow over the absence of a ceasefire in Ukraine. Reports suggest that the U.S. president may consider introducing additional sanctions against Russia in the upcoming weeks.

Despite a growing strategic partnership between India and the U.S. in recent years, Trump's protectionist policies and strong rhetoric could introduce new challenges to the economic relationship between the two countries.