Trump Warns India Of ‘Massive’ Tariffs Unless Russian Oil Imports Stop

US President Donald Trump warned India would face 'massive' tariffs unless it halts purchases of Russian oil, claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him New Delhi would stop such imports.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump insisted Modi told him: 'He's not going to be doing the Russian oil thing. '

When asked about India's statement denying any such conversation took place, Trump replied: 'But if they want to say that, then they'll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don't want to do that. '

India's foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had earlier stated he was 'not aware of any conversation' between the two leaders on Wednesday, noting the last phone call occurred on 9 October.

Russian oil purchases have become a major flashpoint in US-India relations, with Washington imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods in August—doubling from an initial 25 per cent rate specifically as punishment for importing Russian crude.

Indian officials familiar with the matter indicated there is no question of India halting energy purchases from Russia overnight, though procurement volumes have declined.

India has defended its Russian oil purchases as essential for ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies for 1.4 billion people, describing the US tariffs as 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. '

The dispute represents a significant strain on the relationship between Washington and New Delhi. Trump has faced criticism for targeting India with punitive secondary sanctions while largely avoiding similar pressure on China, the other major importer of Russian oil.

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