Trump threatens to raise tariff hike on India over Russian oil imports

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to India, threatening to substantially increase tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a strongly worded post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump alleged that India was not only buying large volumes of Russian oil but was also reselling it on the open market for significant 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.

The development comes just days after Trump had praised Indian refineries based on media reports that claimed they had halted Russian oil purchases. However, those claims were quickly dismissed by Indian government sources, who reiterated that India’s energy procurement is governed by market dynamics and national interest.

"The government's position was made clear yesterday (Friday). The country’s energy purchases are determined by market forces and strategic national considerations. We have no reports suggesting Indian oil firms have suspended Russian imports," said an official source.

The Trump administration has already implemented a 25% tariff, alongside additional trade penalties, targeting India’s imports to the U.S. These came into effect on August 1, with the White House citing India’s continued oil trade with Moscow and existing trade barriers as justification.

Amid growing Western pressure to isolate Russia economically, India has defended its longstanding ties with Moscow, asserting that the bilateral relationship remains steady and time-tested.

“India and Russia share a steady and time-tested partnership,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “We are confident that the relationship will continue to progress, despite external challenges.”