NEW YORK – President Donald Trump has leveled serious accusations against India regarding its purchase of oil from Russia, threatening to impose higher tariffs. Trump stated via his Truth Social media platform that India’s policy of buying large quantities of oil from Russia and then selling it at higher prices on the open market would lead to increased duties against the country.
Trump alleged that India’s actions are tantamount to supporting Russia’s war machine in Ukraine and that India is attempting to make “big profits” from the conflict. “They don’t care how many people Russia is killing in Ukraine,” Trump asserted in his Truth Social post, adding that due to this reason, the tariffs imposed by the US on Indian imports would be significantly increased.
This declaration from Trump follows accusations by his former senior advisor, Stephen Miller, who claimed that India’s purchase of Russian crude oil amounted to financial assistance for the war. Trump had previously imposed a 25% tariff on Indian products.
Miller had earlier stated that India’s actions of purchasing crude oil from Russia were unacceptable and that Trump believed India should stop buying Russian crude. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also expressed discomfort regarding India’s Russian oil imports, previously stating that while India is a strategic partner, this issue was concerning.
Despite the tariff threats and continuous criticism, India has made it clear that it will not immediately halt its crude oil imports from Russia.