Trump Issues Fresh Tariff Threat to India Over Russian Oil Purchases

US President Donald Trump on Monday issued a renewed warning to India, threatening higher tariffs if New Delhi fails to “help on the Russian oil issue,” explicitly linking the move to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war.

“We could raise tariffs on India if they don’t help on the Russian oil issue,” Trump said.

Escalating his rhetoric, Trump suggested that trade pressure could be swiftly deployed, while striking a conciliatory note about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “They wanted to make me happy, basically… PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said.

भारत ने रूस से तेल खरीदना कम कर दिया, क्योंकि मोदी मुझे खुश करना चाहता है. वो जानता है कि मैं उससे खुश नहीं हूं और मुझे खुश करना जरूरी है. अगर मेरी बात नहीं मानी गई तो मैं बहुत जल्द टैरिफ बढ़ा दूंगा, जिसका उन्हें नुकसान होगा.

- ट्रंप

ट्रंप के मुताबिक, मोदी ने रूस से तेल खरीदना… pic.twitter.com/tHhuGwOcht

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 5, 2026

The remarks underscore Washington’s continuing discomfort with India’s sustained oil trade with Russia—an issue the Trump administration has repeatedly cited as undermining Western efforts to economically isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

India is already facing a steep 50 per cent tariff imposed by Trump in August 2025, a move justified by the former president as retaliation for New Delhi’s purchase of discounted Russian crude. Trump has accused India of indirectly strengthening Russia’s war effort by continuing energy imports from Moscow.

Trump’s fixation on the Russia–Ukraine conflict has remained central to his foreign policy narrative. While imposing punitive trade measures on India, he has simultaneously sought to project himself as a peacemaker, holding multiple rounds of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin—including an invitation to Alaska—none of which have yielded tangible diplomatic breakthroughs.

He has also engaged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in several conversations, though those talks have similarly failed to produce a clear pathway toward ending the war.

Earlier, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi had assured him India would halt purchases of Russian oil, describing it as a “big step” toward increasing pressure on Moscow. New Delhi, however, firmly rejected the assertion, clarifying that no such conversation had taken place and dismissing Trump’s claim as inaccurate.

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