US President Donald Trump has once again targeted India over its continued imports of Russian oil, threatening “massive tariffs” unless New Delhi cuts its energy ties with Moscow. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally assured him that India would stop buying Russian crude. “He told me, ‘I’m not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,’” Trump said. “But if they keep doing it, they’ll be paying massive tariffs.”
However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs quickly denied any such assurance. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that he was unaware of any recent conversation between Trump and Modi. “There are continuous talks on deepening energy cooperation with the United States,” he said, but refused to confirm any change in India’s import strategy.
The warning comes as India faces steep US import tariffs, which Trump earlier raised to 50 percent on key exports such as textiles and pharmaceuticals. He insisted that these duties could remain or even increase if India continues to import Russian oil.
India currently sources about one-third of its crude from Russia, taking advantage of discounted rates amid global market volatility. New Delhi has consistently defended these purchases as a matter of national interest and energy security, not political alignment. While Washington views such imports as helping Moscow fund its war in Ukraine, India maintains its right to buy oil from multiple global suppliers based on its economic needs.
