US President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of imposing additional tariffs in response to India’s continued imports of Russian oil, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of his displeasure over the issue.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said, “PM Modi is a very good man. He’s a decent man. He knew I wasn’t happy. Making me happy was important. They trade, and we can very quickly raise tariffs on them.”
Trump’s remarks come amid renewed tensions between Washington and New Delhi over trade and energy ties with Moscow. Last year, the US president escalated his tariff campaign by imposing a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on India, along with an additional 25 percent penalty tied to India’s purchases of Russian oil. In some categories, this pushed overall tariffs to as high as 50 percent.
The move significantly strained US–India relations, which had otherwise been marked by growing strategic and economic cooperation.
Only weeks ago, Trump and Modi spoke by phone, underscoring the importance of maintaining momentum in bilateral trade ties despite ongoing tariff disputes. The call coincided with the start of a new round of negotiations between trade officials from both countries aimed at resolving the standoff.
Tensions have also surfaced in the agricultural sector. Days before the call with Modi, Trump threatened new duties on Indian rice after a US farmer complained at a White House roundtable about dumping by Thailand, china, and India.
“Why can India do that? They should be paying tariffs,” Trump asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the time, before adding that such issues could be resolved quickly through tariffs if negotiations failed.
Despite ongoing talks, negotiations between Washington and New Delhi have made limited progress. The United States has been pressing India to lower import taxes on American agricultural products, while India has remained firm in protecting its domestic dairy and farming sectors.
As trade discussions continue, Trump’s latest comments suggest that tariffs remain a central tool in his approach to addressing disputes, particularly where energy trade with Russia is concerned.
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