Trump threatens tariff hike on India over Russian oil imports

(Web Desk): President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to hike US tariffs on goods from India over its purchases of Russian oil -- a key source of revenue for Moscow's war on Ukraine.

New Delhi quickly pushed back, saying the move was unjustified and vowing to protect its interests.

Trump's heightened pressure on India comes after he signaled fresh sanctions on Moscow if it did not make progress by Friday towards a peace deal with Kyiv, more than three years since Russia's invasion.

Moscow is anticipating talks this week with the US leader's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin.

On Monday, Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform that India was "buying massive amounts of Russian Oil" and selling it for "big profits."

"They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," Trump added.

"Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA."

He did not provide details on what tariff level he had in mind.

Even before the threat, an existing 10 percent US tariff on Indian products is expected to rise to 25 percent this week.

"The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable," India Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, after Trump's announcement.

"Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security."

India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, providing a much-needed export market for Moscow after it was cut off from traditional buyers in Europe because of the war.

That has drastically reshaped energy ties, with India saving itself billions of dollars while bolstering Moscow's coffers.

But India argued it "began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict."

The world's most populous country is not an export powerhouse, but the United States is its largest trading partner.

India's foreign ministry said that the United States and European Union were "targeting" it due to its buying of Russian oil, adding that the moves were "unjustified" and that it would protect its interests.

"The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable," India Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

"Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security."

It did not provide further details on the measures.

India became a major buyer of Russian oil, providing a much-needed export market for Moscow after it was cut off from traditional buyers in Europe because of the Ukraine war.

New Delhi saved itself billions of dollars while bolstering Moscow's coffers.

But India on Monday argued it "began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict".

It also noted that Washington at that time had "actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets stability."

It pointed to what it suggested were double standards of EU and US trade with Moscow.

"It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia," Jaiswal added.

"Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion."

Jaiswal singled out examples of where deals were being done with Moscow.

"Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilisers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel and machinery and transport equipment," the statement added.

"Where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals."

India, the world's most populous country, was one of the first major economies to engage the Trump administration in broader trade talks.

The United States is India's largest trading partner, with New Delhi shipping goods worth $87.4 billion in 2024.

India's protectionist trade policies, however, saw it run up a surplus of nearly $46 billion the same year.

For now, an existing 10 percent US tariff on Indian products is expected to rise to 25 percent come Thursday.

Last month, the EU and Britain sought to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to halt the war in Ukraine by slashing a price cap meant to choke off revenues from key oil exports.