US President Donald Trump has made it clear that the US might increase the rate of tariffs on Indian imports if the Indian government fails to cooperate on what Trump called the “Russian oil issue.” Reportedly, while addressing the press on Monday, US President Trump referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “good guy,” who understood that the US President was unhappy.
“India wanted to make me happy. Modi is a very good guy, and he knew I was not happy. And it was important to make me happy. We can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said to the reporters, in remarks recorded on audio, Hindustan Times reported.
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Warning tied to Russia oil purchases
As per the report by The Hindustan Times, Trump’s remarks targeted the import of crude oil from Russia, a move his administration had consistently opposed. The US President repeated his willingness to increase tariffs should the US fail to get help from India regarding oil from Russia. The US President told Reuters, “We could raise tariffs on India if they don't help on Russian oil issue.”
These comments were made well after the Trump administration had imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports in August 2025, as the Indian energy linkage with Russia is one of the major factors cited.
Trump made the comments during an explanation of the US government’s future actions in the wake of the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Oil figured prominently in his briefing, particularly in relation to recent US strikes on Venezuela, underlining the central role energy policy continues to play in Washington’s foreign strategy.
Conflicting claims on Modi’s assurance
Last October, Trump had asserted that he had the assurance from Prime Minister Modi that India would halt the importation of Russian oil. “There will be no oil. He’s not buying oil,” Trump had stated several months after the escalation of tariffs. But India had later disputed the claim, saying that such an interaction never occurred.
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Trump’s warning comes when India and the United States are in trade talks. Even though there has been some animosity following the imposition of tariffs, both leaders seem to have moderated their stance. Trump has promised that he will “always be friends” with Modi, in a gesture based on a “special relationship” between the two nations. Modi thanked Trump for his positive comments.
Russia continues to be India’s main source of crude oil imports. According to the report by the Hindustan Times, the officials in the US have claimed that the proceeds from these imports are funding the Ukraine conflict, against which India has repeatedly stated that their imports of Russian crude are based on market considerations.
