U.S. President Donald Trump has doubled down on his threat to maintain heavy tariffs on Indian exports, declaring he will keep the “massive” duties in place until India halts all purchases of Russian oil. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that New Delhi would soon stop buying Russian crude — a claim India’s government has not confirmed.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump told reporters. When asked about India’s denial of any such conversation, Trump shot back, “If they want to say that, then they’ll just continue to pay massive tariffs — and they don’t want to do that.”
The dispute over Russian oil imports has become a key obstacle in ongoing U.S.–India trade talks. Trump’s administration has imposed a 50 percent tariff on several categories of Indian goods, with about half of that penalty linked directly to India’s continued oil trade with Moscow. Washington argues that revenue from Russian petroleum sales helps fund the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine.
India, now the largest buyer of discounted seaborne Russian oil since Western nations imposed sanctions in 2022, has maintained that its priority is to secure affordable energy for its citizens. The country’s foreign ministry said it was unaware of any recent conversation between the two leaders but reiterated that “India’s main concern is to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer.”
While a White House official later claimed India had already halved its Russian oil purchases, Indian industry sources disputed the statement, saying no immediate reduction had occurred.
With tariffs squeezing Indian exporters and energy costs still volatile, the standoff underscores the growing strain between Washington and New Delhi — two strategic allies now divided over oil, trade, and geopolitics.