Trump threatens India to raise a “large” tariff for the purchase of Russian oil

Donald Trump threatened to “raise” a tariff against India because of the purchase of oil from Russia.

“They (India) do not care about the number of people in Ukraine who are killed by the Russian war machine,” said the US President on his online platform.

India is currently among the largest buyers of Russian oil. It has become an important export market for Moscow after several European countries reduced trade when Russia has launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump did not specify what the new tariff is, but that comes just days after a 25 % tax unveiled on India.

Delhi described Trump’s “unjustified and unreasonable warning.”

In a statement, a spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry, Ranhair Jaiswal, said that the United States encouraged India to import Russian gas at the beginning of the conflict, to “enhance the stability of global energy markets.”

He said that India “started importing from Russia because the traditional supplies were transferred to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict.”

India also criticized the United States – its largest commercial partner – to provide definitions, when the United States itself is still trade with Russia. Last year, Goods circulated in the United States With a value of $ 3.5 billion (2.6 billion pounds) with Russia, despite difficult sanctions and definitions.

“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and economic security,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Last week, Trump described India as a “friend”, but he said that its tariff for American products was “very high” and warned of an “unlimited” punishment for its trade with Russia.

The last social publication actually hit a critical tone again.

“India not only buys huge quantities of Russian oil, but then, for most of the oil that has been purchased and sold in the open market to obtain great profits,” he wrote.

Bloomberg reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not order oil refineries in India to stop buying Russian oil, citing people familiar with the situation.

Ajay Srivastava, a former Indian trade official and head of the World Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a research tank based in Delhi, said Trump’s demands about oil trade in India with Russia are misleading for several reasons.

The BBC told that trade was transparent and widely understood by the United States.

Mr. Srivastava said that India has gathered oil purchases to help stabilize global markets after Western sanctions were disrupted – which helps to stop the shock of global oil prices.

He also said that the oil refineries in India – public and private – decided to buy crude oil based on factors such as prices, supply security and export rules. They work independently of the government and do not need his approval to buy from Russia or other countries.

Although the relations between the United States and Russia have prepared after Trump’s return to the White House in January, the American president recently tightened his speech against the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump asked whether Putin was truly committed to peace with Ukraine. In the publication of the truth on Monday, he used the strict language, describing the Russian army as a “Russian war machine”.

The leader of Russia has repeatedly said that he is ready for peace, but only if Kiev fulfills certain circumstances, such as recognizing the Ukrainian lands that Russia has occupied.

Trump threatened Moscow with severe definitions targeting oil and other exports if a ceasefire with Ukraine is not agreed by August 8.

The American envoy Steve Witcoffs is scheduled to visit Russia later this week, where he is expected to meet Putin.

Additional reports by Soutik Biswas