US President Donald Trump has again taken aim at India, warning that New Delhi could face “massive” tariffs if it continues to buy Russian oil. Speaking to reporters, Trump again claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that India would stop importing crude oil from Moscow.“I spoke to Prime Minister Modi of India and he said he’s not going to deal with Russian oil,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, repeating his claim from last week.
When asked if India stated it had no record of such a conversation, Trump replied: “But if they want to say that, they’re just going to keep paying huge tariffs, and they don’t want to do that.”The statement adds fuel to Washington’s pressure campaign on countries still trading with Russia, especially in the energy sector, which the US says is helping finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine.However, India is already feeling the pressure of Trump’s tariff policy. Earlier this year, he raised tariffs to 50 percent, targeting a wide range of Indian exports from textiles to pharmaceuticals.But New Delhi is not taking the latest claim quietly. The State Department quickly dismissed Trump’s comments and made it clear that India’s energy policy is guided by one goal: protecting the interests of Indian consumers.“India is a major importer of oil and gas. Our priority has always been to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policy is completely guided by this objective,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.He further emphasized India’s dual objectives of maintaining stable energy prices and ensuring secure supply: “This includes basing our energy supply broadly and diversifying where necessary to meet market conditions.”Officials added that the Trump administration has shown interest in expanding energy cooperation with India, and discussions on the matter are ongoing.
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