Trump Threatens Higher Tariffs on India Over Its Continued Russian Oil Imports

President Trump’s latest tariff warning follows his recent imposition of a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, accompanied by an additional, unspecified penalty linked to India’s trade with Russia.

NEW DELHI – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a sharp warning to India, threatening to significantly raise tariffs in response to its continued purchases of Russian oil. Trump alleged that New Delhi is not only importing large volumes of Russian crude but is also reselling it on the global market for substantial profits.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed, “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.”

Reinforcing his administration’s long-standing allegation that India is indirectly supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by purchasing oil and military equipment from Moscow, Trump added, “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.”

This new tariff threat comes just days after Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, along with an unspecified penalty tied to India’s trade relationship with Russia.

On Saturday, Trump had claimed that India was preparing to halt imports of Russian crude. However, Indian government sources swiftly rejected this assertion, affirming that Indian refiners would continue to purchase oil from Russia. They emphasized that the decision is rooted in economic and logistical factors, including pricing, crude grades, and transportation efficiencies.

Officials pointed out that Russia remains a key player in the global energy market, producing approximately 9.5 million barrels of crude oil per day—around 10% of global supply—and exporting roughly 4.5 million barrels per day of crude and 2.3 million barrels per day of refined petroleum products.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated this position on Friday, stating that the country’s energy procurement decisions are based on market conditions and national interests.

“As far as sourcing India’s energy requirements is concerned, we take decisions based on the price at which oil is available in the international market and depending on the global situation at that time,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a regular press briefing. He declined to directly address Trump’s remarks.