Washington / New Delhi – August 1: Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Monday, threatening to “substantially” increase tariffs on Indian goods in response to India’s continued imports of Russian oil—a key source of revenue for Moscow amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.
“They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” Trump said in a social media post. “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA.” While no specific tariff rate was disclosed, the warning has triggered concern over potential economic and diplomatic fallout.
A day earlier, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, accused India of effectively financing Russia’s war effort. “India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That’s an astonishing fact,” Miller said on Fox News.
India swiftly rejected the accusations, calling the criticism “unjustified and unreasonable.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal defended India’s energy imports, stating that they are essential for ensuring “predictable and affordable energy costs” for Indian consumers. He further pointed out the West’s own ongoing trade with Russia, including the U.S. importing Russian uranium, palladium, and chemicals.
Jaiswal noted that India began importing more oil from Russia only after Western sanctions redirected traditional supplies toward Europe—moves that were initially encouraged by Washington to stabilize global energy markets.
In a separate post, Trump also lashed out at both India and Russia, saying, “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.” He criticized India’s high tariffs and threatened a new 25% import tax and unspecified penalties—potentially targeting trade, defense ties, and India’s role in BRICS, which he labeled “Anti-American.”
India is currently evaluating the implications of Trump’s threats and remains committed to securing a fair trade deal.
