U.S. President Donald Trump said he will keep “massive” tariffs on India until the country completely stops buying Russian oil, according to Reuters. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that New Delhi would no longer import Russian crude.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump told reporters. When asked about India’s statement denying any such conversation, he replied: “If they want to say that, then they’ll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don’t want to do that.”
The U.S. president has repeatedly linked India’s Russian oil purchases to his decision to impose steep trade tariffs. Roughly half of the 50% duties currently placed on Indian goods are retaliation for those imports, the report said. Washington argues that India’s continued purchases of discounted Russian oil help finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
India, now the largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, has maintained that its energy policy prioritizes the interests of Indian consumers.
The Indian foreign ministry recently stated it was unaware of any direct conversation between Modi and Trump, emphasizing that energy security remains a domestic priority.
Despite the dispute, trade negotiations between the two countries continue. An Indian government official described the ongoing discussions as “congenial,” though declined to provide further details. A delegation from New Delhi returned from Washington last week following talks.
The White House later said India had halved its Russian oil imports, but Indian sources told Reuters that no visible reduction had yet occurred. Refiners have already placed orders for November shipments, with some deliveries scheduled for December.
Data from commodities intelligence firm Kpler shows that India’s imports of Russian crude are expected to rise by nearly 20% this month, reaching 1.9 million barrels per day. Russia has been ramping up exports after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries.
As Trump continues to pressure New Delhi, the standoff underscores how energy security and geopolitical tensions remain central to U.S.-India relations under his administration.