Trump claims Modi to end Russian oil imports soon; India calls US tariffs ‘unjustified and unreasonable’

In a fresh escalation of US-India trade and diplomatic tensions, President Donald Trump on October 15 claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India’s purchase of Russian oil will soon come to an end — a move the US leader hailed as a “big step” in efforts to financially isolate Moscow.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Modi had conveyed that the process to phase out Russian crude imports was “underway and would be over soon,” according to a Reuters report. The United States has repeatedly expressed its “disappointment” with India’s continued oil trade with Russia, arguing that it indirectly fuels Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett last month had hinted at a policy breakthrough, calling it a “democratic issue” that would see “positive development soon.”

Trump’s comments come weeks after his controversial post on X, where he lamented that “we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China,” after Prime Minister Modi joined Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

US slaps heavy penalties on Indian goods

Amid mounting friction, the Trump administration has imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, accusing New Delhi of “profiting” from discounted Russian crude. Initially described as “reciprocal tariffs,” the duties were doubled to a cumulative 50% after India refused to curtail its oil purchases.

While Washington has sought to leverage India’s energy dependence to align New Delhi closer to Western sanctions on Moscow, Indian officials have pushed back sharply — pointing to what they call a glaring double standard.

India hits back, calls move unfair

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the punitive tariffs, calling the US move “unjustified and unreasonable.” In a strongly worded statement, the ministry said India would take “all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”

The MEA further cited trade data to highlight Western inconsistencies: the European Union, it noted, had bilateral goods trade worth €67.5 billion with Russia in 2024, and another €17.2 billion in services trade in 2023 — far exceeding India’s transactions with Moscow.

A test of strategic autonomy

The latest standoff underscores the growing strain between two strategic partners navigating conflicting global imperatives — Washington’s push to isolate Russia, and New Delhi’s insistence on energy sovereignty. As global power equations shift, India’s balancing act between East and West faces one of its most defining tests yet.