Trump’s warning is related to trade negotiations
What’s the story
US President Donald Trump has warned of the possibility of raising tariffs on Indian imports if New Delhi doesn’t cooperate on what he termed the “Russian oil issue.”
The warning was issued during a public address and is related to ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries.
This comes amid tensions over India’s energy ties with Russia.
Trump’s remarks on PM Modi and India’s oil trade
Trump’s comments came months after he claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him India would stop buying Russian oil.
The US President said, “PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy.”
“It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” added Trump.
US Senator Graham’s statement on India’s oil purchases
US Senator Lindsey Graham said India is working on US demands.
He claimed that during a recent visit to the Indian Ambassador’s house, all they talked about was how India is buying less Russian oil.
This comes as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts between the two countries amid trade tensions over tariffs and energy imports.
Last year, the US had doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50% as a penalty for India’s heavy purchases of Russian oil.