US President Donald Trump has suggested that his recent decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian goods over the country’s purchase of Russian oil may have prompted Moscow to seek a meeting with Washington.
The comment came just a day before his scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Trump said he believed the tariff action had an impact on Russia’s outreach. “I think everything has an impact,” he remarked. The President claimed that after informing New Delhi of the new duties due to its oil trade with Russia, India “essentially” stopped buying Russian crude. “And then they (Russia) called, and they wanted to meet. We’re going to see what the meeting means. But certainly, when you lose your second largest customer, and you’re probably going to lose your first largest customer, I think that probably has a role,” Trump said.
He noted that India was Russia’s second-largest buyer of oil and was “getting pretty close to China,” which remains the largest purchaser.
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India Denies Halting Russian Oil Purchases
India, however, has firmly rejected the suggestion that it had paused Russian oil imports in response to the US President’s comments. On Thursday, officials reiterated that the country’s buying decisions are guided solely by economic considerations.
Last week, Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India, bringing the total levy to 50 per cent. The move is set to take effect on August 27 and will apply to around $40 billion worth of non-exempt Indian exports to the US. The measure, described by Trump as a penalty for India’s continued imports of Russian oil, has raised concerns about its potential impact on bilateral trade.
While some speculation has emerged over whether the tariffs could prompt New Delhi to scale back Russian oil purchases, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman AS Sahney clarified that imports remain unaffected. “We continue to buy, purely based on economic considerations, that is to say if the pricing and characteristics of the crude make sense in our scheme of processing, we buy,” Sahney told reporters in New Delhi.
India Calls Tariffs ‘Unjustified’
In response to the US move, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement calling the targeting of India “unjustified and unreasonable.” It added, “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
Trump has repeatedly criticised India’s Russian oil imports, arguing that they help “fuel” Moscow’s war efforts. The upcoming Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska is expected to address a range of geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine and energy trade dynamics.
