US President Donald Trump has once again threatened India with “massive tariffs” if it continues importing oil from Russia, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that New Delhi would halt such purchases—a claim strongly denied by India. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, “He (PM Modi) told me, ‘I'm not going to be doing the Russian oil thing.’ But if they keep doing it, they'll be paying massive tariffs.”
Trump’s comments follow his earlier Oval Office statement, in which he described PM Modi’s alleged assurance as “a big step,” highlighting Washington’s concerns that Russian oil revenues are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine. According to Trump, India obtains roughly one-third of its crude from Russia, and he framed continued purchases as grounds for punitive US tariffs.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) quickly rejected the claim. At a weekly briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government was “unaware of any conversation” between Trump and Modi, emphasizing that energy discussions with the United States are ongoing but not tied to a commitment to halt Russian oil imports. The MEA stressed that India’s procurement decisions are driven by national energy security and economic considerations rather than political alignment.
Trump reiterated the tariff threat, noting that the US could maintain or increase the 50 percent duties it imposed earlier this year on several Indian exports, including textiles and pharmaceuticals, if Russia-related oil imports continue. Analysts note that Russia has become India’s largest oil supplier in recent years, offering discounted crude that supports India’s energy needs.
While the US has intensified pressure on countries with ongoing energy ties to Russia, India continues to assert that its diversified sourcing strategy ensures energy security and that purchases from Moscow are commercial, not strategic. The situation underscores growing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over energy trade and geopolitical alignments.
