India buying Russian oil is 'point of irritation' in ties with US, says Rubio as he defends Trump tariffs

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s move to impose 25 per cent tariffs on India , arguing that India’s purchase of Russian oil is a “point of irritation” in New Delhi’s relationship with Washington, DC. Rubio’s remarks on the matter came just days after the Trump administration announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, describing it as penalties for purchasing oil from Moscow.

While speaking to Fox Radio on Thursday, Rubio argued that the Indian purchases of Russian oil are helping Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine. “Look, global trade – India is an ally. It’s a strategic partner. Like anything in foreign policy, you’re not going to align 100 per cent of the time on everything,” Rubio said in the interview.

The secretary of state claimed that the Trump administration is “disappointed” with India as it continues to buy Russian military equipment and energy. Rubio acknowledged India has “huge energy needs and that includes the ability to buy oil and coal and gas and things that it needs to power its economy like every country does, and it buys it from Russia, because Russian oil is sanctioned and cheap and – meaning they have to – in many cases, they’re selling it under the global price because of the sanctions.”

However, he argued that “it is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India, not the only point of irritation. We also have many other points of cooperation with them. “But I think what you’re seeing the President express is the evident frustration that with so many other oil vendors available, India continues to buy so much from Russia, which in essence is helping to fund the war effort,” and allowing this war to continue in Ukraine.

‘Issues with India won’t be solved overnight’: White House

Amid the chaos, a senior White House official told CNN that the issues with India “won’t be resolved overnight”. Despite calling India an ally, the Trump administration has been critical of India recently due to its reliance on Russian oil and military equipment and its membership in BRICS , an organisation that includes Russia, Iran, China, Brazil and other countries.

“These are complex relationships and complex issues,” the senior administration official said on a press call. “I don’t think things can be resolved overnight with India.”

Trump tariffs against India are now being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US, which has, in recent days, got favourable trade deals with major partners like Japan, the UK and the European Union. Meanwhile, India has said that it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined.