Washington( The COW News Digital) U.S. President Donald Trump has once again warned India of continued heavy tariffs if New Delhi does not halt its purchase of oil from Russia. The warning marks a renewed effort by the Trump administration to pressure its key trading partner into aligning with Western sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump said, “If India does not stop buying Russian oil, heavy tariffs will remain in place.” He added that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier assured him that New Delhi would reduce its dependence on Russian energy imports, but the United States has observed no significant policy shift.
“Modi told me India wouldn’t buy Russian oil, but now they have to decide,” Trump said. “If this continues, the economic pressure will increase.” The President hinted that further trade restrictions could follow if India maintains its energy cooperation with Russia.
The warning comes amid growing tensions between Washington and several of its strategic partners over trade and foreign policy differences. The Trump administration has consistently emphasized the need for allied nations to reduce energy and economic ties with Moscow following its continued aggression in Eastern Europe.
Commenting on other trade issues, President Trump said the U.S. might consider lowering tariffs on China but only if Beijing takes “meaningful steps” in return. “We want to ensure that China doesn’t play games with us on rare minerals or critical supply chains,” Trump said, underscoring the administration’s focus on maintaining leverage in global trade negotiations.
Trump also mentioned that a new announcement regarding tariffs on Colombia would be made on Monday, though he did not provide details about the potential policy measures.
The U.S. President’s comments come just days after he told reporters in the Oval Office that Prime Minister Modi had personally assured him that India would not continue purchasing Russian oil. “I wasn’t happy about India buying oil from Russia, but the issue was resolved,” Trump had said earlier.
However, the latest remarks suggest that Washington remains skeptical about India’s commitments and may tighten economic measures unless visible action is taken. Analysts believe the warning signals a tougher U.S. stance toward partners balancing relations between the West and Moscow.
